I'm trying to put myself in your mother's place. What if I develop dementia? -- it could happen to anyone. And what if the particular damage in my brain caused me to be aggressive? Thinking of myself hitting other residents, kicking at the aides, screeching and being aggressive, I'm appalled. I don't ever want to be like that. I hope someone would prevent that behavior.
I don't know what you dislike about your mom's meds, Ismeraldo, but now I am imagining being very sedated, like before a medical procedure. It is not terribly unpleasant, but I would not want to spend the rest of my life in la-la land.
What I would hope is to have an advocate who would insist that other measures be tried. Maybe this would involve placing me temporarily in a psychiatric ward where drugs could be adjusted under very close supervision. Maybe discussions with the prescribing physician would be enough. But I would hope for an advocate who would see that other measures were tried.
So thank you, Ismeraldo. You keep advocating for a better solution for your mother! Realize that the perfect solution might not exist, but work for improvement.
What is it that you do not like about the meds given to your mother?
What is it you don't like about the antipsychotic meds?
Have you spoken to the doctor who prescribed them?
I've had good luck with geriatric psyche who've managed my mom's meds for anxiety and depression. Others here have had parents admitted to senior behavioral placements to get psychiatric meds sorted out.
Regardless of how you do it, I think it's important to get your mom's behavior under control. Aggressive acts towards other residents will get her excluded from a good facility.
BarbBrooklyn often recommends a geriatric psychiatrist as the route to go when meds are needing adjustment. Of course aggression must be dealt with one way or another. Do the antipsychotic meds seem to strong for her? Hopefully someone who deals with this will answer.
3 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
I don't know what you dislike about your mom's meds, Ismeraldo, but now I am imagining being very sedated, like before a medical procedure. It is not terribly unpleasant, but I would not want to spend the rest of my life in la-la land.
What I would hope is to have an advocate who would insist that other measures be tried. Maybe this would involve placing me temporarily in a psychiatric ward where drugs could be adjusted under very close supervision. Maybe discussions with the prescribing physician would be enough. But I would hope for an advocate who would see that other measures were tried.
So thank you, Ismeraldo. You keep advocating for a better solution for your mother! Realize that the perfect solution might not exist, but work for improvement.
What is it that you do not like about the meds given to your mother?
Have you spoken to the doctor who prescribed them?
I've had good luck with geriatric psyche who've managed my mom's meds for anxiety and depression. Others here have had parents admitted to senior behavioral placements to get psychiatric meds sorted out.
Regardless of how you do it, I think it's important to get your mom's behavior under control. Aggressive acts towards other residents will get her excluded from a good facility.
ADVERTISEMENT
Of course aggression must be dealt with one way or another. Do the antipsychotic meds seem to strong for her? Hopefully someone who deals with this will answer.