Easygoing husband now punching staff and more

riajean

My poor husband who’s been in memory care for 4 months now has become angry and violent toward both staff and residents.   A couple of weeks ago a staff member had to go to the ER because he was whipping her around until her shoulder became sprained.  The staff put him on an increased dose of Risperidone which I read can cause anger and agitation so I asked the staff to take him off it.  It’s a psychotic which drugs are NOT recommended for those with dementia. 

Tonight I get yet one more call saying he suddenly tied to get a resident out of her wheelchair and when staff tried to distract him he punched them.  Luckily everyone is ok, no ER visits but they had to give him risperidone again to calm him.  

I’m quite upset about these outbursts and don’t know what to offer staff. They have to report all such incidents to the state and it stays in his file.  He’s never that way around me but I come earlier in the day.  What is going on and what can I really do?   These calls are so difficult to get.  They did increase his Zoloft and I hoped that would work.  Out of the blue behavior.  Help!

BethL

He should probably be transferred to a geriatric psychiatric unit so the proper physicians can get is medication regimen to be such that he is not violent. Sorry you are having to deal with this.