My mom is the primary caregiver for my dad, who is verbally abusive and prone to violence. Is it possible to ask his doctor for medication to help control his behavior?

I just pasted this on another comment..maybe it will benefit you as well..

Risperidone Reduces Aggression and Agitation in Patients with Severe Dementia

ST. PAUL, MN -- September 22, 1999 -- Patients with dementia face not only life-altering changes in mental abilities, but also changes in behavior that can lead to aggression and agitation. Kicking, swearing or biting, the violent behaviors associated with the late stages of dementia, may improve with a new medication, according to a study in the September 22 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Researchers suggest that risperidone can reduce the severity and frequency of aggressive and agitated behaviors in elderly people with dementia.

"It’s important for people, especially caregivers, to know that violent behaviors can be treated," said neurologist and study author Peter De Deyn, MD, of the University of Antwerp in Belgium. "Nearly 80 percent of people in the late stages of dementia develop violent behaviors.

Risperidone can improve the quality of life for these patients and their caregivers."

In a 13-week study of 223 people in seven European countries and Canada, researchers investigated risperidone as a treatment for the behavioral symptoms of dementia. Researchers compared the effects risperidone to the drug haloperidol (another medication used to treat aggressive symptoms of dementia) and a placebo in people with frequent aggressive behaviors associated with the late stages of dementia.

Study participants, an average age of 81, lived in nursing homes. Sixty-seven percent of people in the study had dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease, 26 percent had vascular dementia and the remaining patients had other types of dementia.

Researchers gave one-third of the study participants risperidone, one-third haloperidol and one-third a placebo. Each person’s health, severity of dementia and frequency of aggressive behaviors were evaluated prior to and during the study.

The severity of aggression was improved by two to four times more in people taking risperidone than those taking a placebo. The number of physical or verbally aggressive episodes improved by 34 percent for people taking risperidone as compared to 8 percent of people taking the placebo. "Our results suggest that risperidone caused not only an anti-psychotic effect, but also an anti-aggressive effect," said De Deyn.

People on haloperidol also showed an improvement in aggressive behaviors which was 20 percent greater than those taking the placebo. In comparing the two medications, risperidone had up to a 40 percent greater improvement on aggressive behaviors than haloperidol.

Researchers also suggest risperidone is more tolerable in elderly patients than haloperidol. "Haloperidol can cause some people to experience muscle stiffness and tremors similar to Parkinson’s disease," said De Deyn.

Medications causing drowsiness may appear to improve aggression. Researchers determined that haloperidol and risperidone caused some drowsiness, but overall it did not affect study results.

After the study was in progress, 121 people dropped out of the original study group of 344 people. The study was completed by 223 people. The most common reasons patients gave for dropping out of the study were side effects and lack of effectiveness. The dropouts came equally from the risperidone, haloperidol and placebo groups.

"A dementia patient’s violent behaviors may underlie a caregiver’s decision to place their loved one in a nursing home," said De Deyn. "As the world’s population ages, there may be more people with dementia. To manage the personal and societal costs associated with having more dementia patients in nursing homes, it’s essential that we find better ways to care for patients with dementia."

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 16,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.

I would def. get his doctors involved...as many doc's that will listen to what goes on. Perhaps you can tape it and take it to one of his doc's. Does he take other medications? Are any of them for attitude control? Perhaps if you do get a prescript that will calm him down, in the beginning you need to just make him take it and be there until his mood calms down until it becomes part of this medicine regiment. If he does not want to take it...well there is always good ole grinding them up and adding to a drink or pudding, like you do a kid.

Perhaps there is an Rx patch your mother could slap on his back where he can't get it. Or YOU do it. Where are YOU in this scenario Sounds like you need to get over there, step in and step up and not only help care for your father, but help your mother. Stay with them until father is controlled or committed.

Here's a suggestion: If he is physically violent, then phone the police and file charges. Let the law take him away handle him as a domestic abuse criminal. (Oh, I couldn't do that; he's my father....how many violent parents are in the prison system?)

You all would not stand for this behavior from a stranger...you'd dial 911 immediately. Family members are cut so much slack. You all can visit him in prison, the violent mental ward...or NOT. It doesn't take much of a physical smack to be considered violence. If you do this, then your father is taken from the premises and it is the state's problem. Call Adult Protective Services...to knock some sense into your MOTHER..

Again, we don't know all the situation there, but domestic violence behavior is domestic violence where the person is sane, has emotional problems, or is dementia. Look at it this way, are you enabling a criminal?

probably not the slant you wanted to hear. Caregivers put up with such ()%*@# . Really? REALLY.

My two cents: You're going to need to get some "power" behind your attempts to get Dad to take the medication necessary to control his combativeness/violence. The first logical step would be the doctor. Try to get the doctor to get behind you on this and be the "heavy" to get Dad to take the medication. This is a medical situation and needs medical intervention.

1. What is your dad's current health status and age?

2. What medications is he on?

3. Has he threatened violence toward your mother?

4. Do you think he is a danger to himself, to your mother or anyone else? If he is a danger then he is not safe nor is anyone else in the house safe with him at home and he must be involuntarily committed to a hospital for a fully mental and physical evaluation.

5. Have you or your mother told his doctor about this behavior? If not please do so soon.

This sounds like a total mess and would appreciate some more information.