Hi, I'm currently caring for my dad who's really not that elderly (he's 63). He's been diagnosed with depression and anxiety since about 1 year ago. He has no mobility issues or any other health issues apart from high blood and diabetes. Anyways the last couple of months he's been feeling suicidal every day. His routine is waking up in the morning, starts pacing around all over the house and proclaiming to everyone that he can't take it any more and wants to end his life. This will go on for a couple of hours until we make him take his anxiety meds (he will never take it voluntarily). He doesn't have any hobbies and has complete alienated his friends, everything we suggest has been turned down. It takes a great effort to get him out of the house and he doesn't want to socialize. However so far he has not tried to hurt himself yet, but I worry that one day he actually will. We really don't want to send him to a home or assisted living facility, but his daily rants and threats is starting to take a toll on the rest of the family.
We is the rest of my family which is my mother (57 years old - still working) and my brother (24 y/o - works from home).
We have tried the tough love approach but it doesn't work.
He does have a psych doctor who's taking care of his depression as well. So he has depression and anxiety meds taken care off. He's always reluctant to take his depression and anxiety meds (heck all his meds for that matter). In the last few weeks we have always had to make sure he takes his meds because when left up to him he never takes the dose that his doctor prescribes. The last appointment with his doctor, the doctor has advised us to watch him take his meds and ensure that the dose has the adequate time to take effect. My dad is not getting any better yet because he has never given the chance for the meds to do its work. So now we are constantly having to make sure he takes them. The doctor is aware of his current behavior and condition.
His diabetes and BP is under control
Yes he is retired, after that he did a bit of consulting but after the depression hit he has stopped completely. His financials are taken care of by me.
Someone must have presribed the anti-anxiety meds. You need to call up that doctor and let her/him know what is going on. It sounds like dad needs different meds and a more thorough examination of his mental status.
Is his diabetes fairly well managed? What is his current A1C, do you know?
Who is the "we" who makes him take his pills? You and your spouse, a sibling, his wife -- who all is in the household?
It sounds like your father is a very sick person, and in need of a different treatment plan than the one that isn't working now.