One provider flatly refused due to her age. She is insisting that my husband (her son) help her find someone who will prescribe her. My FIL, 87, is her caregiver. How do we approach this? Being overweight has always been a huge stigma for her family so I guess vanity still reigns in her diminishing mind.
Frankly, I’m annoyed that she is refusing meds that may slow her mental decline but is demanding drugs for weight loss!
Obesity is a risk factor for dementia - but also for pretty much any disease I guess. A better working vascular system gets oxygenated blood moving around the brain cells better & therefore lowers dementia risk. But my guess is MIL is not spruking this kind of info. Some elders become a little fixated on their looks & grooming with Alz/Dementia.
One lady I met last week (prob early 80s). Not concerned with diet, exercise, rehab goals but very concerned if her hair was looking ok? Happy to sit combing her hair.
My approach for your MIL would be "I am not your Doctor. I am also not your Pharmacist. Therefore I cannot prescribe or obtain medications for you". I would advise her to take what her Doctor prescribes. I may help her to feel good about her hair & clothes choices instead, if vanity is becoming a thing.
People with dementia are often child-like and demanding. You don't have to pay any attention to any of it. it's obviously irrational so just stop feeding into the conversation.
Let that go.
And as far as the weight loss, the answer is "The doctor says no, and that is that; And we will absolutely NOT go against his advice in this matter".
It seems that your MIL, having dementia, has some things going here, and she likely always will. In fact you can expect a whole lot more of this. It is time to give up the thinking that it is all about happy-all-the-time. Learn to embrace the need to say no.
As to insisting on medications? I think that is quite pointless at this time. Just my humble opinion. Not worth the upset.
I wish you all good luck.
I would see if the doctor would give her a placebo.
Your husband just needs to say NO, it is a complete sentence, with dementia one is unable to make sound responsible decisions so we must do it for them.