She is on an anti-depressant, Namenda, and Ativan, plus a few other pills/vitamins. She takes these in the morning. I go over every morning before work but she can be incredibly slow and if I wait around to make sure she takes them, I am late for work, sometimes up to an hour late. And she won't listen or take them for my dad. Once or twice she has even hid them. She questions every pill, what it is what it is for, and argues about the number of pills she takes. She is getting very belligerent about it. At night she takes Namenda and Zyprexa. Once she started refusing to take her evening pills, we started crushing them and mixing in her food. She eats cereal for breakfast, so that's not an option in the morning. I don't know how to handle this. She has been doing better most days since we got her on this regimen, but I'm afraid if she goes off them we will have a real battle on our hands again. Her and my dad still live at home. We take them supper and do the housework and have someone with them a few afternoons and every evening. All family members, and we are all stressed out and exhausted. Dad has declined having someone come in on a regular basis, he knows mom will fight it and blame him. How can I help or do more? We are fresh out of ideas!
Delayed Release
Enteric-coated (EC)
Extended release
Effervescent tablet (EVT)
Mucous Membrane irritant (MMI)
Orally Disintegrating tablets (ODT)
Slow-release (SR)
Sublingual forms of drugs
Sustained-release
Do not crush any oral medication that ends in the following letters:
CD CR ER LA SR XL XR XT
My mom fought me on bringing help in, but for some reason if I said I needed the help around the house, etc. she would be ok with it. She is now 81 and in the later stages of dementia and she is still picky about who is around her. Although better, not great and because she can't verbally communicate her feelings she has a tendency to strike out physically. So, then it came down to finding the right person(s) who can deal with that type of behavior. It is possible, but not easy. Good Luck, we are all with you in spirit :)
I know for my pharmacist, Mondays, and Fridays are the busy times. Also lunch times. I wish you all the best and hope you find some solutions that work best for you and your loved ones.
1) I have a daily pill dispenser so that none of the pills are in their original containers for Mom to see. Therefore:
2) They are all "Vitamins" to keep you healthy, because I/we want to keep you around as long as we can! C - to ward off colds. D - for your bones and teeth. B - for energy, heart health, joint health, eyesight, … make it up as you go if you have to…
3) I take mine at the same time she takes hers, even though mine are just vitamins. We can all probably use more Vitamin D, or another Tic Tac!
4) Triage. I have Mom take the most important ones first… meaning the actual medication… followed by the vitamins, etc.
Good luck!
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