I have an aging parent that's not in full mental capacity. What do I do?

You need help right away! Contact your local area Agency on Aging; this website provides this helpful guide: https://www.agingcare.com/local/Area-Agency-on-Aging (it is under the "Caregiver Support" tab above). Make sure you relay to them how urgent this situation is regarding the safety of your wife and daughters.

First of all, it would be best to remove your wife and child from the situation or remove your Dad by calling either EMT or police (if he has been aggressive to your family). The EMT normally show up with police in most psych cases. He needs a pysch evaluation and usually a trip to ER will get that done.

Sorry to be harsh; however, if this continues you are certainly looking at having your daughter taken by CPS for her own safety and you facing child endangerment for allowing situation to exist.

Your first responsibility is to protect your family!

The manic stage of BPD often represents with increased libido. Please take care of your wife and daughters FIRST. How old is your father? Many times BP in the manic stage do not want meds and do not feel them necessary because they are feeling so UP. Additionally many men do not want to take the meds because they can affect sexual function. Big problem. I would suggest calling him in for an eval and then discussing with the social worker proper placement. Trust me living with a BP is no picnic and having children living in that situation is near impossible if you want a normal growing up experience. BTDT, it's not pretty.

Sounds like bio-polar, in a hyper-manic state. Is he sleeping?? Bio-Polar Disease is one of those diseases which seems to mellow with age, it has been my experience. I can just speak from my experience's. Having worked in this field for many years now, I can tell you that meds are important but a lot of BP's choose not to take the meds, the #1 issue with them is medication compliance.

Being a R.N., also with a husband who suffers from the same disorder (as well as other things) I can say that I spent years with him teaching him the importance of the medications, & lost a daughter to the disease too. Many take their own life's due to this disorder. My husband is 64. My daughter was 39 when she died.
Wish I could be of help, need more information though. BP's have been my specialty for many years now & I have put into swing Mental Health Systems, in the area where I live to deal with the issues for the CMI population, very successfully. Education is a big key but one must be "firing on all cylinders" to understand. Maybe there is some else going on too, Dementia perhaps??
#1)Time to see a physician who deals with just this issue. #2) Try a psychiatrist. #3) Try day care in a special program in your area. #4) Call Adult protective services for more information in your area....and most important, #5) God's speed....

Usually hospital discharge papers will recommend a specific doctor or type of doctor for follow up. Were any psychiatric doctors recommended? But it does sound as if your father has had psych treatment in the past as he has meds.

Perhaps the bigger issue is how to get him to take his meds when he's up in a upswing stage. Maybe hide them in his food? From what little I know of BPD, the individual doesn't feel as if the meds are needed during an upswing, and it's not until the downswing occurs that they recognize help/medication would be appropriate.

Do you think if you had a man-to-man talk with him and firmly stated that if he doesn't take his meds he'll have to live elsewhere?

If he's reluctant, could you pretend to go for a drive somewhere and instead look at possible placements? I'm really not sure whether independent living facilities would have restrictions for psych issues.

Are there any doctors for your family in whom you have enough confidence to recommend a course of action, such as a specific psychiatric clinic or facility? We've often called our favorite doctors and got recommendations for other doctors, without having to spend the time and money going to appointments and checking them out ourselves.

Perhaps if you could even find a mental clinic with day care it would help protect your family while you're not home.

Good luck - I sense the frustration in your post so I hope you can find something quickly.

Who is monitoring your fathers medication regime? Sounds like he needs a good assessment by both a medical and psychiatric professional. You didn't give your fathers age. He could have mental health issues along with some dementia. This could be compounded by some medical issues. I would also look for a day program he could attend, maybe he would benefit from some counseling/therapy. He needs to keep busy (as much as he is able). Call your local Area Agency on Aging or Bureau of Senior Services for program information. If there is no adult day program near you, look at him attending the local senior center. He can participate in activities and have lunch with people in his age group. A good medical/psychiatric evaluation is definitely the first step.

thank you all for your helpful answers... I was able to convince him to go to a local mental health care facility where is getting some treatment... I know the road will be a long one... but at least he has taken the first steps...