We have been trying to get medication to reduce his anxiety but doctor reluctant to increase dosage. He is 88 with many health issues. From the minute he wakes up he starts phone calls demanding to go home. He makes nasty threats. He phoned police yesterday demanding they take him home. We get over 20 calls a day. Talking on phone or through window is not working. We can’t figure out if it is his hearing aid (batteries have been replace often) or he doesn’t understand. Or doesn’t want to understand. We have sent him letters and emails.
We have been trying to figure out how to safely look after him if he returns to his house. The stress is over the top for everyone. Any thoughts........?
He's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but refuses to take the appropriate medication. And without a comprehensive court order, he can't be forced to take the meds. He hates it there and complains all the time. He gives the staff a hard time so they don't want him there either. But state law doesn't allow the SNF to discharge him unless there's a safe place for him to go.
My concerns are: 1) Assisted Living Facilities are barely regulated at all and certainly not like SNFs. They don't have to wait until another facility accepts him; 2) With his bi-polar disorder it makes him very difficult to get along with. I am told by the local ombudsman this is becoming a common problem with difficult seniors with mental health or personality issues.
I am extremely reluctant to agree to him going to an assisted living facility because of the lack of restrictions on them and none of these facilities (SNFs or ALFs) are prepared to really take care of someone with mental health issues and they won't approve him for a facility that takes dementia patients because he hasn't been diagnosed with that.
I don't really have an answer but my only advice is don't allow him to be moved until you have a good, safe place for him to go. Like my brother, it sounds like he wouldn't be happy anywhere. I totally understand your frustration. My prayers are with you.
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/common-caregiving-abbreviations-and-acronyms-435589.htm
I'd pressure that doc. Your dad is 88 with many health issues and it sounds like his anxiety is through the roof - 20 calls?! What is the doctor trying to accomplish by denying him the meds that may help him? If there won't be any side effects that affect quality of life, I'd push. Or, have the community's doc take him on as a patient.
I'd say ask the community if you can gown and mask up to go in an try to calm him, but even if you were successful, it wouldn't do any good longterm.
Can we have an update please?