i have checked and namenda can safely be crushed....your pharmacy can tell you...usu it is time released pills that cannot be crushed and the solution for that is opening the capsule and gently stirring the contents into pudding, applesauce, baby bananas etc
mix the meds with about 1 2/2 tablespoons of your loved ones favorite applesauce, tapioca, pudding, baby pureed bananas or other baby foods...tell them its a pre lunch or pre dinner treat!!!
i am not risking taking mom off of any of her alzheimre's meds...she will wear the patch and take namenda until the day she dies.but thats me. in fact i am exploring with her neurologist about using the new higher dose exelon patch which is i think 23 mg...i think. i just know they have a new higher dose one available
According to the Alzheimer's Assn itself, Aricept, and the others, lose any effectiveness after 6 to 12 months. I let my wifes subscription expire after three and a half years. When she would drop to a lower lever in the progression of the disease, I would have misgivings about my decision, but then I would think back to how she was declying while still on Aricept, and I would feel better. At 86 years of age, and seeing your mate of 65 years fall into this crevass, it is heartbreaking. I will do all I can for her for as long as I can.
don't mix the meds with a large portion of food because if she doesn't eat the large portion bye bye pill. a tbl spoon and a 1/2 of applesauce, pudding etc can be mixed with the med. tell mom her new treat for the day is getting Ex: chocolate pudding before lunch/dinner/etc.
Dear Thehusband, Why don't you or your other children crush the meds up and mix it in her food? It is no use trying to make Mom understand why she needs her meds, she will never understand, and your Dad is elderly too and maybe cannot take the stress of Mom being so difficult? Its hard enough for us younger people, and poor Dad has to deal with all of this? Crush the darn meds.
Went through the same experience with my wife. She has never told any of us (two daughters and myself), that she is forgetting things. She is now 83 years old, and has been on Aricept for almost 4 years. At first she wouldn't take it, we think she would throw a pill away whenever she would think about it. The last two couple of years she has been taking it, but now her memory is about all gone. She also hallucinates at times. She has got up real early on two occasions (recently) and when I ask her why she is up so early, she is checking to see where everyone went. I tell her that no one has been in house, and when this happened the second time, I asked her when the people were here. She replied that they were here when we went to bed. Maybe Aricept has slowed the Alzheimer's down, but it is my belief that it isn't effective after a long period.
She says the doctors are wrong, won't take meds or get other recommended tests, and my father won't face the reality. We are going to see if he'll "give it a try".
Does she really say she doesn't want to take this medicine, or is he just telling you that. Would he agree to a trial period of your mom taking it? Maybe 6 mos. to see if he notices a difference? You know, there is NO medication that is going to stop Alz. but it can slow it down and save what brain she has for as long as possible. I don't understand why a person wouldn't want to give that a try.
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Why don't you or your other children crush the meds up and mix it in her food? It is no use trying to make Mom understand why she needs her meds, she will never understand, and your Dad is elderly too and maybe cannot take the stress of Mom being so difficult? Its hard enough for us younger people, and poor Dad has to deal with all of this? Crush the darn meds.