My 93 year old mother who lives by herself was diagnosed with vascular dementia and possibly Lewy Body dementia about a year ago. Her neurologist has her on quetiapine 25 mg one at bedtime. From time to time she goes off of it. She thinks she doesn't need it. I tell her it's to help her sleep through the night. This week has been bad. I know she has gone off the pill due to her hallucinations becoming more frequent. I also check on how many pills she has taken. Usually she hasn't been taking them. Last night I went over and checked her meds. It looks as if she is taking them yet she is hallucinating. I think she realizes I check on how many she has taken and is throwing them away. She gets angry with me when I tell her she needs to take them. She says there is nothing wrong with her. She doesn't hallucinate and it's all real. The hallucinations are about two people. They are coming into her home at night going thru her things and taking what they want. They say they are going to kill her. Sometimes it has to do with the FBI. She says she has the ability to talk to them thru the airwaves. She has called the police twice. She called me around 5 AM this morning. She said there had been a lot going on over there, but she was OK. I would be hearing about it. I have cameras up inside and outside. Nothing was going on or had happened during the night. At the start of this journey I went and got her in the middle of the night due to her having a hallucination. I finally got her settled in and she slept. The next morning I went in to check on her and she was sitting up in bed talking to the person she hallucinates about. They were having a nice conversation. So I don't think having her come to live with us would help. Also, I'm diabetic and have a parathyroid problem. I have been dealing with depression and kidney stones. I know I should contact her doctor, but I know what she will do. She will start proceedings to have her moved to a facility. Is there anything else I can do for my mother before that happens? She also doesn't want any helpers in her home.
Thanks,
Laura
She needs either someone with her 24/7 or she should be in a Memory Care facility.
Cameras are not a substitute for someone being with her at all times.
Do you feel that your mom is safe in her home living by herself? If you answered no(as her safety should be your number one concern)then it may be time to be looking into placing her in the appropriate facility. I know that you really don't want to do that, but you are not in a position to care for her(and I certainly wouldn't recommend it, as she will only continue to get worse). It's coming to the point where your moms safety and what's best for her(not you)has to be your number one priority.
And as far as her taking her medication, unless there is someone there to give it to her nightly, she will continue to forget, Her brain is now permanently broken, and will only get worse, so expecting her to remember is a mute point now. I wish you the very best as you now figure out what is best for your mom.