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Low dose aspirin as a blood thinner is quite a new concept. Does he not believe in it? Or in any medication? Has he read that it's bad for the kidneys (true)? Has she choked on one, and he doesn’t know about crushing the tablet? Perhaps ask him to explain, rather than just trying to force the issue.
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Geaton777 Mar 2022
MargaretMcKen, this concept is at least 20 years old. My mother was taking it for heart health in the early 2000s prescribed by her internist.

Also, if crushed aspirin is extremely bitter and the taste may put her off no matter what food it was hidden in. The caregiver could talk to the pharmacist to see if there are alternative forms.
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Who are you to 'her' and how do you know her husband is 'refusing' to give his wife 2 aspirin a day?? Short of forcing your way into their home & sticking around for the whole day to administer these aspirins yourself, providing you don't live there, I doubt you can do anything 'legally' to see that this person gets 2 aspirin a day.
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GardenArtist Mar 2022
Lealonnie, her profile describes her as:

"I am caring for Her, who is 81 years old, living at home with alzheimer's / dementia."

and "Wife new onset dementia, recent knee replacement, husband is refusing to give her baby aspirin 2x a day to reduce chance of blood clots. What can I do? "

It's not clear to me if she's a male caring for a woman, or a paid caregiver.
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What is the reason he's refusing to give it to her? Knowing this would be very helpful.

From what your profile says you are their caregiver, and probably a hired one, not a family member.

If so, do you know if she has a MPoA who is not her husband? Like an adult child perhaps? If so, I would let this person know.

If you don't know if she has a MPoA but were hired through an agency, I would let the admin know.

Other than this I don't think you have any power. Due to HIPAA you can let her doctor know but without being her Medical Representative they cannot legally act on the information you give to them.
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Can u call the doctor? Can they order her back to the hospital. My sister died of a blood clot after a knee surgery and they were not doing aspirin. Not intentionally they just did not remember the doctor ordering it. Some people are more susceptible to blood clots than others. Maybe some more experienced posters have better advice on how to get this done quicky.
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Beatty Mar 2022
That is terrible. I am so sorry to hear.
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Is he well, and does he understand the reason? Because he may be well and not AGREE with the reason, and as medicine is anything but an exact science, who knows but that she wouldn't have bleeding as a side effect and he would then be "right". I would notify the MD. I assume husband is well and POA. MD won't discuss with you but he may call in the hubby and explain.
Then, if after all of that, he still won't, that's about that; hope for the best. Because you are very unlikely to get POA away from a WELL husband who has made a decision for his wife who cannot make that decision. A long, 10,000.00 guardianship fight would bring misery to all, and would likely, almost certainly, lost.
So explain the reasoning here, that the best science is that slightly thinner blood and also less inflammation can be a lifesaver, and given this isn't blood thinners side effects from it are very rare. Then leave it in his hands. We have had to do that with Covid-19 vaccines, after all. It happens.
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I would call the doctor who ordered it and let her/him deal with it.
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Helpforher, as already stated, what you can or can't do would depend on your status and relationship.   It would help if you address that.    Are you in fact a paid careviger, or  a family member?  Or are you a family member, and if so, are you also caring for the wife?
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I will assume you are an aide and as such cannot administer medication. I would tell your boss, if u work for an agency. Maybe the agency has a family member they can contact.

If you are private, if you know of a family member call them. If not, call the doctor who prescribed the aspirin and explain who you are and your concern. Maybe a staff member can call the husband to make sure that the aspirin is being given. I too know of someone who died of a blood clot after knee surgery.
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Yeah seriously, mom was put on an aspirin a day after her heart attacks and bypass surgery in 1976, although the availability of adult low dose tablets did come later than that.
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I think "Her" may very well be "Helpforher".

She may be suspicious that this twice daily aspirin is doctor ordered and the reason for it. Paranoia and does not remember the Doc recommending it.

Aspirin used in this way is common for a period of time following this type of surgery.
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I think I would contact APS, Adult Protective Services.

Situations like this need an authority to look at it. This could mean the husband has ill intent or dementia with loss of executive function. Whatever it is, they obviously need intervention.
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Why? Why is the husband refusing to give the aspirin? For what reason(s)?
Has the aspirin been prescribed by the lady's surgical team?

Support with medications is a basic element of adequate care. If the aspirin has been prescribed, and if you are certain that it is not being given, you (or anybody) can report the failure to give it to the prescriber. Assuming that the husband is the wife's medical proxy, MPOA or anyway recognized primary caregiver with responsibility for administering medications, and must therefore be the wife's representative as far as her healthcare providers are concerned, the prescriber or a member of the surgical or healthcare team can then take this up with the husband with the aim of changing his mind.

You don't say who you are or what your relationship with either the wife or the husband is, so we can't know how you came by this information. That leaves us with a number of possible scenarios:
the husband doesn't think it's any of your business and resents your questioning him - he may or may not be giving the aspirin, he's just determined not to tell you about it;
the husband has been made aware of the risks associated with aspirin and thinks he knows better than to give it;
the husband has been given an alternative prescription that you aren't aware of;
the husband is very confused;
the wife is confused - you asked her if she was taking her aspirin, she says no, you say she must, she says her husband doesn't give it to her - but actually he has given it, she has taken it, and you're asking the wrong person;
the wife is refusing the aspirin (possibly it's soluble aspirin and she dislikes it) and the husband doesn't know how or anyway isn't prepared to push it...

Could be anything going on. Is he in charge of all her medications? Is the rest of the px being given?

And, also very important - when was the knee replaced?
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My mom was sent home with heparin in a small daily injectable and no aspirin while she was taking the heparin in 1994 and 1995.
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Nothing.
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