Posted 5/28/2008 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
My aunt is 70 years old and was diagnosed with beginning's of alzheimer back in January 2008 she is very forgetfull basically she has no short term memory at all and repeats herself over and over and she is very uncooperative with caretakers such as myself she doesn't want to take her meds because she says she doesn't have alzheimers she also takes meds for high blood pressure, diabetes pill not insulin and high cholesterol. My aunt is very aggressive at times especially with her caretakers she really shouldn't be living on her own but does not want to leave her apartment and she has three grown sons and none of them are taking care of her in any way not have they closed up her apartment she was recently in March put into a psychiatric hospital because she was hallucinating and not taking her meds when the police arrived at her home because she had called them they found her outside in her robe running around the back yard of the apartment complex where she lives at 12 am and I was called to pick her up when I went to get her I found several knives around her house because she said she was scared of the people that were outside of her home that were not there. then I took her home with me.and then took her to her doctor the next day and then she was admitted for a week and was discharged to live with my mom which is her baby sister and only living sibling well that didn't work out because she would hide her meds when my mom gave them to her under the bed, in her pocket etc..... so she got extremely aggressive with my mom almost to the point of striking her she left the stove on a few times and also started to say that my mom was stealing her things from her we also bought her a medical bracelet should she get lost they can contact us she threw the paper away that had the info on it so after all this she and my mom got into this huge confrontation and my aunt got in a cab and left my mom's house back to her apartment and she has been back on her own for about2 to 2 1/2 months I have power of attorney of her but not conservator so there is but much so much that I can do for her and I am only her niece not her daughter I believe she is an accident waiting to happen I have spoke to protected services they told me that can't do anything because she doesn't have a conservator and that per the nurse that visits her twice weekly to administer meds she takes her meds, and presents herself well so she should be fine to live on her own her doctor is also no help all she says is that my aunt represents well and speaks well just repeats herself and can't remember dates and her stories change constantly when she tells a story or something. But my concern is until you are acaretaker and deal with a person all the time you have no idea what i'm talking about my aunts' Dr, nurse worker etc don't spend enough time with my aunt to see what I see and see my concerns so I had to send all parties involved a letter regarding my concerns so that should anything happen to my aunt I will not be responsible they will be for not investigating matters further. I have even spoken to her social worker she states she believes she needs to be in a facility or with family not on her own. Can anyone give me any advise or let me know if I'm losing my mind or just making more out of it that what it is. I an emotianally and physically and mentally exhausted. Please advise anybody what I can do or give me some advise. Thanks Sooo Much.