Are there any legal responsibilities if a parent refuses (90) to take blood pressure medication and does not report this to the Doctor?

With the current confusion around
Statins that seems to be gaining more and
more momentum
With public, rejection of the science the authorities need to
Ask for a renewed
Testing and evaluation of these
drugs. Instead of patting everybody on the head that want answers, saying we"we know best".

Just FYI, this thread is 6 years old.

Hmm, seem your full question,which is featured to the right, has been clipped when posted above. (Oh, I see, you have posted the question in two locations)

The biggest problem is that the doctor will not see any results in blood pressure readings from the meds already prescribed and will up dose, add another med, change med, etc. Then when someone like yourself starts to help your father keep on track with his meds, he'll be overdosed, or misprescribed. I'd write a note to his doctor.

Perhaps there might be some consequences for you if you are aware your father needs additional help, and you let him wallow and decline because HE will not take his medicines. You or another caregiver should give him his medicines to take at this point. Where is that line where your father is knowingly not cooperating (like continuing to smoke) and being too senile to remember to take pills?

That is the problem. He is able to take care of himself to a point so he lives at home. HIs refusal to take blood pressure medication will gradually cause his heart attack. He has not told the doctor of the refusal. I advised him to see the doctor and let him know. Problem step mother throwing a fit over seeing the doctor. Can she be held responsible if anything happens? Or will I for not pussing the issue?

There may be some side effect of the med that you are not aware of. Perhaps it gives him a head ache or make him feel light headed. The bp meds may have to be cut way back in dose. Actually, all his meds may have to be reduced in dose or replaced with fast acting rather than long lasting (which does not clear from the body.)

Look up Beers Criteria on the net. It is a protocol for one to use to help sort out drugs and eliminate what is not needed, and change where needed. Often dementia symptoms will reduce when this is done. mom improved with every drug we took her off.

I really don't know legal ramifications of "who is responsible" in this case. I'd just drop a note to the doctor and perhaps he/she will call to have your father come for a review of all meds. He might be happy to know that many could be cut...less for him to take, Perhaps he can no longer swallow pills easily, chokes on them, so some meds can be done by liquids or patches.

Are you his medical POA? If so, express your concerns directly to the doctor and have him talk with your dad. Is your step-mother for or against him seeing the doctor?

Against him seeing the doctor. I wish I was POA but at the present time he has not allowed anyone to be designated.

I have just finished a letter to his doctor expressing my concern, his refusal to take the medication, and problems with my step mother when it comes to making their environment a safer place for them to live in. I thank you very much for you thoughts on that one. I would not have realized I could do that.

I appreciate you help in this and will chat later, angelmaker

Angelmaker,

I'm glad to have helped. If your dad does not allow someone to be designated Medical and Durable POA before something major happens to him or he becomes mentally incompetent to handle his own affairs in a business like manner, then he and everyone else is in a bad situation where no one has the legal authority to do anything for his benefit. If he, like my mother, has business and financial matters separate from your step-mother then no one will have the legal authority to do anything. Does he have living will? Does he have a will and someone knows where it is? I deal with a step-parent too and am so glad my mother made me POA 8 years ago.