My father whom i just this week brought home from another state is not "hitting on all cylinders" Has been treated for bipolar and is in one of his "up" stages... He refuses to believe that he is need of care and i speculate not taking his medicine as he is supposed to... Have been to hospital and was released... trying other doctors but am at wits end... can not leave my father home alone with my wife and daughters because he is like a dog in heat around women... what do i do?
Sorry to be harsh; however, if this continues you are certainly looking at having your daughter taken by CPS for her own safety and you facing child endangerment for allowing situation to exist.
Your first responsibility is to protect your family!
Being a R.N., also with a husband who suffers from the same disorder (as well as other things) I can say that I spent years with him teaching him the importance of the medications, & lost a daughter to the disease too. Many take their own life's due to this disorder. My husband is 64. My daughter was 39 when she died.
Wish I could be of help, need more information though. BP's have been my specialty for many years now & I have put into swing Mental Health Systems, in the area where I live to deal with the issues for the CMI population, very successfully. Education is a big key but one must be "firing on all cylinders" to understand. Maybe there is some else going on too, Dementia perhaps??
#1)Time to see a physician who deals with just this issue. #2) Try a psychiatrist. #3) Try day care in a special program in your area. #4) Call Adult protective services for more information in your area....and most important, #5) God's speed....
Perhaps the bigger issue is how to get him to take his meds when he's up in a upswing stage. Maybe hide them in his food? From what little I know of BPD, the individual doesn't feel as if the meds are needed during an upswing, and it's not until the downswing occurs that they recognize help/medication would be appropriate.
Do you think if you had a man-to-man talk with him and firmly stated that if he doesn't take his meds he'll have to live elsewhere?
If he's reluctant, could you pretend to go for a drive somewhere and instead look at possible placements? I'm really not sure whether independent living facilities would have restrictions for psych issues.
Are there any doctors for your family in whom you have enough confidence to recommend a course of action, such as a specific psychiatric clinic or facility? We've often called our favorite doctors and got recommendations for other doctors, without having to spend the time and money going to appointments and checking them out ourselves.
Perhaps if you could even find a mental clinic with day care it would help protect your family while you're not home.
Good luck - I sense the frustration in your post so I hope you can find something quickly.