Please help, need advice on aggression

lb61408

My mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at age 58. She is now 62, and is in the advanced stages. She resides in the memory care unit of an assisted living community, and I was just notified that she cannot stay there. She is refusing medication, so not taking it impacts her behavior, and she’s now become aggressive. The nursing staff has been unsuccessful in finding a way to get her to consistently take her meds. Given the aggression, there is no skilled nursing community (graduating from assisted living to skilled nursing bc of advanced stages) that will take her now. She is currently under the care of a 24-hour sitter, which is not a realistic or economic long term solution. Has anyone ever been in this situation?  I could really use some advice.

M1

Lb, I would ask the director if there is a geriatric psychiatrist they work with who can arrange a hospital admission. If not, find one independently. This should be manageable even if injectable or liquid medication has to be used. Good luck, and I'm sorry for the added stress.

jjuliajul11

I had a similar situation. On https://www.canadapharmacy.com/ I read many good ways. I bought soothing drops that I added to drinks for my grandmother. I also called a psychologist who helped her morally. This allowed us to continue treatment normally. Now we are much better

Marta

Lb:  I second M1's recommendation that your mother be admitted to an in-patient psych unit for management of medications.

I had to do this several times with my husband.  It is the only way to move forward in this situation.  The medical director of the MC where you mother resides should be able to guide you on a facility.

MN Chickadee

I would get her to inpatient psychiatric care, but it has to be a *geriatric* pshyc unit. They are best equipped and trained to fine tune medications and get behavioral issues associated with dementia under control. Even if it is a ways away,  it is worth it - this is the setting that can help. Most people stay at such a place for at least a couple weeks to find the right balance of medications and get stable. During that time you work with the social worker at the psych unit to find a place to move her upon release. Make sure it is a place with staff trained in dementia care. This will be important to keep her stable. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

jfkoc

Have you talked to your mother's neurologist? That would be the best place to start and see if there are drugs that can be either rushed or otherwise added to food.

T2FSE

My mom would not get out of a car, it was a nightmare of a fight and verbal/physical abuse.  They had me & my brother hide in the admin offices, took of the gait belt and removed the wheelchair and she went in under her own power with assistance.  The admin nurse told me that if she had not calmed down they would have had ambulance take her to the ER for mental/psychiatric eval and be admitted to their skilled unit from hospita.  Thankfully they were quite skilled in dealing with Alzheimers patients and have kept her clam since that time.

Today is her second full day in the unit, she is eating well and interacting with other residents but continues to tell the nurses she does not belong there and she wants to leave.   She even goes to the door and knocks on it wanting someone to let her out.   Instead of arguing with her, they let her knock for a bit then redirect her to something else.  They keep telling me she will adjust but it will take 30 days.   

Anyway all of that (I need to talk about it for my own mental health) to share the option the facility uses when they have a fighter.