Is Your Alzheimer’s or Elderly Parent Overmedicated?
August 11, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
I was asked, in a recent comment on a post, what a daughter should do when her elderly father, who had broken a leg and was in a nursing home, acted like a zombie. That previous post concerned overmedication, with a link from a post by Liz Lewis. I had related an experience with my mom.
Since I’m not trained in the medical field nor know the complete situation with the lady’s dad, I don’t want to give suggestions that will steer her in the wrong direction. So I’ll suggest places one might go for answers.
*Have you talked with his doctor to see why this amount of medication has been prescribed? Is your dad in a great deal of pain without the meds?
*Check the policy of the nursing home where you’re considering moving him. [She's planning to change nursing homes.] Some have a minimal drug policy unless absolute necessary for pain. This was the case with my mom.
*Check to see if your state (probably under the Dept. of Health and Human Services, Div of Elderly and Adult Services) has an Ombudsman program. I knew nothing about this until a lady called me, when I had to move Mother to a second nursing home after the first one closed. She calmed me, answered questions, and helped me get everything organized. Essentially they’re advocates for the elderly living in long-term care and nursing home facilities. The ombudsman should be able to answer your questions or help you find answers.
The problem so often is that these parent care situations come upon us suddenly. We aren’t prepared and don’t know where to turn for information. I hope this helps.
What have you found helpful when you’re at a loss for answers?
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(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
My father has alzheimers. I placed him in a nursing home in May ‘08 where he did fairly well for approximately 3 months. The home steadily and without my knowledge began increasing his dosages of seroquell and giving him ativan of an evening (late) when he wasn’t easily redirectable.
I began noticing changes in his gait, his cognitive abilities and his cooperativeness. When I would bring him home for a visit we didn’t have any problems with his behaviour and his eating and sleeping improved considerably
Two weeks ago he caught a cold, was treated for cold w/ antibiotics, and was sleeping all the time with loss of appetite. Again, I brought him home and he did very well, seemingly on the path to recovery and took him back to to the home.
The head nurse complained that I was taking him home for my benefit that I was actually harming my father by doing so.
He continued sick, and lethargic and finally, one week before we had scheduled a care plan meeting, they called me and said he needed to go to the hospital for severe dehydration and lack of eating or he might die.
He is now in the hospital, in the geriatric psych ward and is eating a little, drinking better, but still not doing well. They have taken him off of the seroquell but they put him on ativan and halodril which completely zonks him out.
I believe that my Dad needs one on one care in a peaceful, safe environment which apparently is not a nursing home. I plan to bring him home and care for him at my house where he will have his dog, his own room and one on one care.