[NPInfo] Another Alzheimer's question

[Joy C]

Sorry Diane,  I hit the send button prematurely.  Anyways, if she needs to 
be placed somewhere in the near future, get her family doctor to sign an 
FL-2 sooner, rather than later, and have the sons go and visit facilities. 
You probably won't get on a waiting list for a bed in a dementia unit 
without the FL-2. This is assuming your state requires a document of this 
type.  They may be a Medicare regulation, I'm not sure.

If she's completely ambulatory and early Alzheimer's, she might do well in 
an assisted living for a while.
It sounds like, from her behaviors, she could use either one of the 
anti-convulsants like Depakote or an atypical antipsychotic to stabilize her 
mood.  Paranoia is very typical for dementia.

Joy
North Carolina
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David or Diane Dito" <dddito at charter.net>
To: "'NP Info'" <npinfo at nurse.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 8:56 PM
Subject: RE: [NPInfo] Another Alzheimer's question


> Speaking of Alzheimer's, we're currently trying to figure out how best to
> care for my mother-in-law who lost her husband earlier this year and is in
> the early- to mid-stages of Alzheimer's. I bought a book, Alzheimer's
> Disease: Everything You Need to Know (revised edition), by Dr. William
> Molloy and Dr. Paul Caldwell, that is helpful (especially for her sons),
> but....
>
> She has some underlying psych issues (personality d/o and depression) on 
> top
> of the Alzheimer's, and is getting into a more paranoid and
> argumentative/verbally aggressive state lately. She has a caregiver in her
> own home 24/7, but will not allow them to monitor her meds...and has
> admitted essentially that she is not taking them as directed (Lexapro,
> Namenda and Aricept). In fact, she wants to send the caregivers away, but
> has been told by her sons that this is not option.
>
> She will need placement in the near future. For those of you with 
> experience
> in dealing with this disease, what type of environment seems to work best?
> We're trying to give her some input into the process, but she seems
> incapable of making a decision, although she agrees she doesn't want to 
> stay
> in her own home much longer. How is the medication issue best handled to
> ensure she takes her meds while maintaining her dignity and giving her a
> sense of some control over her care and environment?
>
> Any suggestions or input anyone can offer will be much-appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Diane Dito, NP
> St. Louis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: npinfo-bounces at nurse.net [mailto:npinfo-bounces at nurse.net] On Behalf
> Of Priscilla Merrill
> Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 7:39 PM
> To: 'NP Info'
> Subject: [NPInfo] Question
>
> Anyone heard of a Dr. Blaylock?  My dad was asking.  His site looks like a
> scam but told him I'd poll the group.  He supposedly helps Alzheimer's
> patients.
> Thanks for any info,
>
> Priscilla Merrill FNP
>
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