Late Stage ALZ - Taking of ALZ Meds

TSnyder

My Mom (82yo) has been in assisted living for 5 1/2 years.  She is under hospice care due to extreme weight loss/failure to thrive.  But she constantly walks and is now a high risk for falling (which she has done 15 times since October and has broken two bones).  This last two months she is now waking and wandering at night (which she hasn't done in the past).  Hospice has put her on several antipsychotic meds to help with the agitation, restlessness, anxiety which seem to help.  They are afraid the ALZ meds are not interfering with the antipsychotic meds and want to remove them.  They advise that since she is in late stage 7 the ALZ meds don't help any longer.  They don't want to drug her up too much ... Is this a good idea to remove the ALZ meds?  What other options has anyone tried to keep their "patient" from being a harm to themselves?

Ed1937

Without question my recommendation would be to stop the meds for dementia. They gave you good advice. I'm sorry things have progressed to this point.

ninalu

Agree completely with Ed about hospice giving you good advice. My experience with hospice (my mom is also late-stage and on hospice) is that the focus is comfort care and quality of life. In our case, non-essential medication & treatments have been discontinued so long as removing them isn't risky or negatively impacting comfort, quality of life.