Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsychic
That is all very disheartening....  At this point most of his behavior is basically temper tantrums and making threats; although we can't be sure of the physical aspects of his behavior since we are not there all the time. He did physically abuse my mother-in-law in the past. She is currently in a nursing home so she is safe, but we don't know what is going to happen to him because he is really confused, gets lost, forgets how to do things, etc. etc. We also worry what will happen when she passes. If all this weren't bad enough, we also have a mentally disabled brother (of my husband) that needs to be looked after. He does have a good support system in place, but we will still need to oversee his care. The one blessing in all this is they do have money to afford the care they all need, but figuring out what FIL needs and then helping him get it is another story. Just hoping to avoid a nightmare scenario. |
Your FIL probably needs to be in an ALF where meds are given and meals provided. He probably could benefit from a mood medication as well. You have to be careful with this. A mood medication really helped my mom, and I know she felt better when she took it, but people who are aggressive are in danger of being overmedicated in order to make them docile. But it is very hard to find a placement for a hostile elder who does physical things.
Frankly, he needs to be managed. He needs to be dosed correct meds and fed properly. If he is dehydrated, that could add to his distress and acting out. I also understand that UTIs in men can cause behavior problems.
So, he needs a physical exam by someone who deals with elderly people. And, with his confusion and forgetfulness, he needs to be placed in a safe place. This is hard for family. Don't rule out the possibility of bad effects of dehydration or a low grade infection. This is why he needs to have a thorough physical ASAP.
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