Any elderly relatives suddenly received lithium orotate in post?

[limetrees32]

Lithium Orotate, 5 mg, 180 Quick Release Capsules https://share.google/jr5dj5P7ODMygfF19

I have a friend with Alzheimer's and she's suddenly received these.
She is quite paranoid about being scammed and never buys anything on line .
Can only assume that she has responded to a cold call .
But again, she is wary of calls.
Her bank statements show no money paid.

The supplement is marketed to.combat Alzheimer's.
But I don't know how they would be aware of her condition.

Could it be a trial for research? Her medical team would know.

She needs to check with her medical team to see if they’ve been prescribed to her. If not, chuck them away. Don’t take supplements of unknown origin.

I go with her to appointments so I don't think they have been prescribed.
It's just a puzzle ( and a worry) that some firm knows her profile i.e. Alzheimer's and have targeted her.

When it came was there no document enclosed?

Or can you trace the package from the postal data on the package?

Lithium orotate appears to be sold only as a supplement (and therefore unregulated), not a licenced medicine. I doubt it's been prescribed, and wouldn't let her take it without confirming the source.

If she’s taking any prescribed medication, she should consult her GP before taking any supplements. They can interfere with the effectiveness of prescribed meds, sometimes making them more or less effective, and either could be dangerous.

A neighbour was visiting her when the package was delivered and later phoned me .
Neighbour helped check bank account and no payment taken
Yet ,?
It's difficult,my friend lives alone and despite very significant short term memory loss is fiercely guarding her independence and privacy.
She won't be happy if I say neighbour had told me you got a package of tablets ..
It just seems so odd because she is verging on paranoid about being scammed on phone and never orders on line .
Will have to investigate when I am next there.

it's an OTC supplement that anyone could buy....any chance the other neighbour ordered and is just pretending they know nothing about it it or has chatted to someone else on the street and they've ordered it? She sounds vulnerable and it sounds like at least two of you on the street know how to check her bank account...I wonder how many others who might be less supportive do to? Even if she tends towards being paranoid and independent her STM problems put her at huge risk. If she has no family/significant others it may be time to start quietly involving adult safeguarding if they're not already?

Plenty of supplements are prescribed btw - vitamin D, folic acid, B vitamins for alcoholics, Calcium for osteoporosis, B12…

Vitamins that are available as an OTC or off the shelf supplement may also be licenced medicines for prescription - you can check the summary of product characteristics to see the marketing authorisation (an example here for B vitamins https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=Vitamin+b).

This form of lithium is not. It's not in the BNF, and I can't find an SPC or marketing authorisation for it.

@Greybeardy she is vulnerable yes. My use of "checking her bank account' makes it n sound much simpler than it is .
Finger recognition and a code are required, and need my friends active engagement.
She wouldn't be allowing everyone to look, and it would also have to be over her shoulder as she doesn't let anyone take her device out of it her hand.
Yes , safeguarding is something we consider from time to time.
Do you know what steps might be taken to protect my friend if a referral were made ?

She may still be able to appoint people you or other friends or family to make financial and medical decisions that would be up to her doctor being willing to sign of on her capacity and getting the legal papers done asap.

Plus a permission lodged with GP etc to allow named people to be given medical data and it allow medics to discuss her case.

This would allow the named people to have an input on her current life choices.

On the bank accounts a business style account is possible where a second person has access but not ownership of the funds and where payments need a second person to approve an outward transaction. But she would have to be open to setting up the permissions.

Thank you @AnSolas , friend does have LPAs for finance and health and welfare

sounds like whoever she's set up the PoA with needs to be aware that something odd's happened and perhaps start using it to support her (or maybe they ordered it?). Safeguarding would probably be able to help with deciding if an assessment of capacity is needed and liaising with (or finding) the person that she set up the PoA with (or with working out if that person is not going to be so helpful after all). If she's letting multiple people 'help' her with things like banking, sooner or later someone's going to write down the details and take advantage even if that's not what's happened this time...not inferring it'd be you obvs, but from bitter experience, there's some proper wronguns out there.

It's not the case that multiple people are helping her with her banking - I'm sorry if I have that impression.
If a safeguarding referral was made and as a result the attorney for financial affairs was found to be involved ( not dishonest or taking advantage ) what would be the next steps ?