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Elderly parents

Polypharmacy and medication issues

6 replies

NaToth · 23/08/2018 09:54

MIL is 88, with a diagnosis of mixed dementia and not much left in the way of capacity. She lives alone and has refused a care package, which her DC were OK with as she refuses to have anyone in the house. I think her DC are still struggling to process the diagnosis, which was very recent.

She has been on a cocktail of drugs, to be taken at three different times of the day, for years. She now has them in blister packs, but that doesn't work because she can't follow the instructions and she also can't get the tablets out of the packs because her hands are so arthritic. DH will speak to the pharmacist to see if there is anything else they can do.

We wondered if the answer might be to simplify the medication regime, but we saw her GP and he toed the party line and basically said she needed to take all of it, so there was no support there.

Some time ago, MIL actually stopped taking her meds for at least two months after the repeat prescription arrangement broke down and no-one knew. It didn't seem to affect her at all. Now, she's refusing to take them because she says they make her sick.

DH is tearing his hair out. He currently going twice a day to try to make her take them and she is resisting.

Has anyone else been through this?

OP posts:
HoleyCoMoley · 23/08/2018 13:13

The pharmacist may consider some sort of alarm call bell system, you might be able to get one from o.t. or online through careline. If she is refusing to take her meds then tell the g.p. in writing, saying you are concerned about this and what does be suggest. Ask him in writing for a medication review, that's their job. Also if she formally lacks capacity do either of you have health and welfare power of attorney, it's difficult trying to get someone to take their medication but the doctor needs to sort this out and at least be made aware. The pharmacy can't change medication but can look at what she is prescribed and see if there are alternatives which the doctor can prescribe.

NaToth · 23/08/2018 17:25

DH will have PoA in a couple of weeks. It's in process now. However, he currently believes she has capacity to make the decision, so having PoA won't make any immediate difference there.

Her non-compliance is in her GP notes.

OP posts:
HoleyCoMoley · 23/08/2018 17:29

It's so difficult, if she refuses she can't be forced but I would ask g.p. to do a formal capacity assessment and review her meds anyway, they might be able to cut them down.

CaptainCallisto · 23/08/2018 18:02

NaTooth I work in a pharmacy and we currently have a lady who is in similar circumstances to your MIL.

She has a little machine at home (I think provided by OT though I'm not 100% on that) which works a bit like a vending machine. An alarm goes off and drops the tablets into a little cup so she can pick them up more easily to take them. She has two of the little wheels for her tablets to go into, so each week we deliver a full one and collect the empty one to refill.

It's something like the one in the picture.

Polypharmacy and medication issues
CaptainCallisto · 23/08/2018 18:02

NaToth, Sorry - don't know where that errant o came from!

NaToth · 24/08/2018 12:13

Thanks @CaptainCallisto, that looks just the job, or it would if she had not decided today that she is not going to take anything ever again because she wants to die!

We were supposed to be away this week, but DH has been dealing with this. He's aged ten years since last weekend.

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