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Mom has mid stage Alzheimer's and congestive heart failure.

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I want to reiterate what others have already said, don't crush the pills without checking first if you should, as some meds can not be altered. Even then be aware that some meds are extremely bitter and in capsules or coated tablets for a reason.
When my mom was in respite care at a nursing home they tried to get her to swallow two tylenol, a stool softener, blood pressure pill and her parkinson's med all in one spoon of applesauce. Seriously??? The next day they crushed her pills, even the extended release tylenol and the very bitter stool softener, which goes to show that even those who should know better don't always know what they are doing.
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EEEEK are you allowed to do this in the USA? In the UK covert medication is classed as abuse because there is no rational decision being made by the recipient (because they have dementia) and could be really serious UNLESS you have a medical review and the DOCTOR and relevant others confirm and agree in writing (contained within the review) that this can be allowed.

That said in the early stages of dementia a person can OPT to have meds crushed if they find the pills difficult to swallow BUT I would still get that noted and confirmed by a doctor to protect myself from claims of abuse by others later.

Thats absolutely no criticism of your comments ff but I know some people are from different countries where legal issues can be different.
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Could it be that your Mom doesn't like the side effects from the medication? Sometimes the side effects are worse than what the pill is treating.

I would make an appointment with her primary doctor to see if he/she could prescribe other meds to help with the same issues.

Otherwise, do what hospital and nursing homes do, they crush the pills [not all meds can be crushed] and place the crushed meds into apple sauce.... my Mom likes her meds in chocolate pudding or chocolate ice cream.
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My answer depends on what he medication is for and how old your mom is. A couple of years ago our doc discontinued almost all mom's meds, the only prescriptions she has now are related to comfort and symptom control. At the time I freaked out and expected that she would stroke out any day, now I wonder what the heck is keeping her going.
If she needs all her pills then you need to figure out why she won't take them, the others have some good recommendations.
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My mom doesn't refuse, but before I started going to her house every morning and making sure that she took all of them (and gran
ted, there are a lot for a variety of medical issues), she just wouldn't bother. I could tell that she was getting "fuzzy" and took over the medicine part. Those little daily pill receptacles are great. She tells me all the time "If it were up to me, I just wouldn't bother."
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This is a typical symptom of mid-stage ALZ. I find helpful to see behaviors like this as a manifestation of the disease. Good idea to find out if she is having problems with swallowing. Is it just her meds or are there other foods that she has a problem swallowing. Persons with ALZ often resists meds--It is a symptom.
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Also remember that she most likely will never be able to remember to take them without prompting to do so. It may even be dangerous not to be with her when she takes them.

My wife was in the early stages of FTD Dementia and really just had fuzzy memory...I thought....so she still put her med's in the pill box and took them without me watching. I found her on the couch one evening and she was not doing well, so I took her to the hospital where they immediately gave her almost 2 pints of blood. One of her med's was Plavix to reduce blood clotting. She was suppose to take one a day. But when I looked in her pill box, she had started putting one in the morning and evening compartment and was slowly bleeding to death through a stomach ulcer. That was the point I realized I needed to pay more attention to everything she did, just in case.
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sherry1anne I have absolutely no problem with whatever people do. Its just that for anyone reading the blogs and seeing the comments ...they don't necessarily apply in the UK. ....so with apologies to everyone over the pond this is what our Act states:

A care worker (caregivers sic) (or registered nurse) should not mix medicine with food or drinkIF THE INTENTION IS TO DECEIVE someone who does not want to take the medicine. This is called ‘covert’ administration. The exception to this is when a medical practitioner states that the person lacks ‘capacity to consent to treatment’ and the medicine is essential to their health and well being.

So for example I have an advanced directive which stipulates (while I am of sane mind (sort of!) that in the event I become incapacitated to a level where I cannot physically feed or care for myself then I refuse, in advance, to be given medication serves only to prolong my life. If in these circumstances I were to be given medication then that would be covert administration and illegal - moreover my POA MAY NOT override this

So it is still a grey area over here but if anyone takes it upon themselves to covertly administer in the UK they could well find themselves charged under the Mental Health Act IF they don't get consent from a doctor first.

I think you have laws too that govern covert administration.

HOWEVER if you are administering it in pudding because the person physically can't swallow the meds the traditional way and KNOWS it is in the pudding then that is absolutely fine because there is no intent to deceive

Equally if a doc determines and reviews meds given the decreased level of mental capacity then they may well advocate covert administration and then again all is well

It was never intended to be a criticism of what others do merely keeping some people in the frame as to actions that could be taken.
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I worked in an assisted living as a caregiver for years. Everyday the same people refused to take the meds so the medication techs would crush up the pills and put in applesauce or pudding. My mom doesn't want to take her meds either but I would not stop unless the doctor said it was ok.
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Cwillie I couldn't agree more... you just simply cannot adjust medication or alter it in any way unless the doc OKs it. In the event that a court case should evolve for whatever reason and you have adjusted medication it will be you who is in trouble. Slow release tablets must never be crushed they are there to be released slowly hence the name taking them in a one could be lethal for some people.

We are lucky in the UK re medication my mothers is provided in rosette boxes which are sealed. She has one for breakfast lunch tea and evening and that means I know what she is talking because I give it to her AND STAND OVER HER TO WATCH SHE HAS TAKEN IT. Drastic? not after a young child died from eating the 'sweeties' that great grandma had down the side of her chair/.

I do place my trust in the hands of the professionals. If I don't know I ask and if Mum refuse to take meds I note what she is refusing and email the surgery for advice or indeed just to have it noted somewhere on file that I tried but that she refused. It doesn't happen often but I still take no chances.
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