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My family is convinced that we can not hire an agency to care for our brother at home because he drinks wine in the evening. As the Alzheimer's has worsened, he is drinking quite a bit less and can be distracted from it to some extent. But he does like and expect to have wine in the evening. Does anyone know if this rules out all agency help? Thank you!

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No, it shouldn't unless he is typically becoming inebriated. The doctor can write a note OK-ing this. Wine esp. if red is quite easily watered down to almost nothing, as well.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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It might help if B’s evening serve of wine can be poured out in advance – perhaps put into a half-size wine bottle or one of the little bottles that airlines use. B can pour it into a glass if carer doesn’t want to go near it. This takes the responsibility for quantity away from the carer – and I can see that it’s not a good idea for carer to be pouring an unlimited amount from a full size bottle!
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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Drinking wine is not against the law for folks over 21. Whether it's good or bad for them is irrelevant, too. Caregivers are not there to judge their clients, just to help them. I'm sure your brother can serve himself in his own home! Ask the agency if you're concerned. I've seen no mention of you brother drinking to excess or getting drunk. He's got a terminal disease ANYWAY. It's a bit late to take up healthy habits now, imo.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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I just thought of another question;
Does he need a caregiver to serve him wine in the evening? THAT could be a problem! LOL.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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My Mom's agency-hired aid is forbidden from serving my Mom any alcohol. I can go over there and serve it to her, but not the aid. I'm very doubtfu an agency will allow any of their staff to serve a client alcohol for obvious liability reasons.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Hire help through an agency, or privately. I wouldn't even mention the wine drinking in the evening. If it is something that becomes an issue for a caregiver, they will let you know.
Does his drinking adversely affect his behavior? Is it only in the evening?
Does he need a care provider with him in the evening?
I would not allow this to prevent you from trying to find help for him.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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Not necessarily. Just talk to the agency staff about it when you interview them. (They may have some safety rules like the caregiver can't drink with the client, the caregiver can't buy the alcohol, alcohol can't be consumed within a certain timeframe due to medications, the caregiver can leave if the client becomes threatening while drinking.)

If he only drinks in the evening, then even if there are restrictions, he could still have daytime care.
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Reply to MG8522
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Ask an agency!

Alcohol and dementia are not a good mix. Dementia affects his brain, alcohol does too. Double whammy. If I worked for an agency, I wouldn’t work for him. It may boil down to if you can find someone who doesn’t mind taking care of a drinker, with all the difficulties that entails.
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Reply to Fawnby
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