Grandma committed to geriatric psych ward

[medicmommy]

It's finally happened...My Grandma's alzheimers has finally escalated to the point that she has developed super human strength and energy...And is scary angry...She has attempted to strangle the group home staff, has smacked the other residents, is tearing apart everything she can get her hands on,(actually pulled the top off a dresser!), spits her medications in the faces of those who try to give them to her, sits on other patients beds and urinates on them (purposefully), and frequently exit seeks -bolting past anyone if the door is open..and has paranoid behaviors (They're trying to kill me! We must hide!) There's much, much, more...this has been worsening over the past 2 1/2 months and the Drs seemed unwilling or unable to manage her medications enough to get her to a "happy place" before it got this bad...I tell myself that those things take time, but I see her completely losing it, and am frustrated with the process...sigh...all I want is for her to have a small quality of life again..And I'd like to have my life back too...I can't get anything done because I'm constantly babysitting her in attempts to calm her and keep her from destroying the home, and it's destroying my marriage and 9 year old daughter's summer vacation...I don't know how it's possible to love someone so much, and yet desire to strangle them....                    ~MM

[samsauntrn]

This is a very common stage of this horrible disease. My mom, who is 5"2 and weighs half of what I do had me up against a wall with my arm twisted behind my back. She was admitted to a behavioral health unit as the assisted living facility couldn't manage her behavior (that's another story in itself). She had meds adjusted, and yes was like a walking zombie for a few weeks but it did help us all get through the violent stage. There are people out there that are adamant that AZ patients not be treated with psych meds or sedated but when you are on the receiving end and nothing else is working, like distraction, calm voice etc, you do what you have to do. You just have to be careful with the meds, watch for side effects and eventually they won't need them. don't keep them on them forever. My mom had severe extrapyramidal side effects from Effexor XL, not to mention the seizures because the AL staff was crushing it!!!!

[nuggetone]

I understand your pain as my dad has alzheimers.  It is hard thing to go thru for both the care giveer and the patient.  I love my dad but he gets in my face and says he hates me and calls me a ***** and *****.   Tries to hit me and is a total jerk most of the time.  I have lost it a few times and just have to walk away.  Have she ever been sedated?  I was telling mom maybe we need to do this to dad when he gets in these moods.  Is that bad?  We can only take so much.  Youe last statement I can relate to.  My sS Ha good days and bad ones.  Mostly bad ones...  He is still at home but I dont know how much  longer we can take this.Mom and dad r divorced but mom still takes care of him at her home.  He doesnt pay any bills except groceries and get 1900 a mth.  Go figure......  I tell mom to tell him to help but she has and he wont.  So what to do?????