My Mom had to be placed in a home for safety reasons. I was pleased with the home, its very nice and the staff is very good to my Mom. I had to rush her to the hospital a little over a month ago and since then I have seen her decline very quickly. Mom lived with us for about 4 years and was always on the same medications, about 5, normal meds such as High BP, Cholesterol, one anti Depressant, memory medication and a lot of Vitamins. This time the medicine bill came out and my sister sent it to me questioning why they had prescribed so many medications. When I started reviewing what they had done in the last month and a half I was shocked!!! They had 21 medications on the invoice. I found that they had prescribed 3 anti psychotic drugs and a seizure med? Mom does not have seizures. They also had a rub on cream for Adivan. At the time she had to go to the hospital she had become combative, just in the morning. She did not want to get out of bed. Please don't take me wrong I do not think they should have to deal with something like that but my Mom weighs about 75 pounds and all she was doing was yelling at them to get out. I do know she swung at them a couple of times and not making excuses but she is so weak that even if she did happen to hit one of them its not like it would have hurt a fly. The last month I have seen my Mom decline very rapidly. I could not understand why this was moving at such a fast pace, he had gone from laughing and talking, walking around the halls to only walking if I was there and got her up and it was very short walks, she was staring at walls, and could not get 3 words out with out forgetting. After reviewing the medicine bill it became quite obvious that they were way over medicating her. I approached the nursing home and Doctor, I am there all the time and very involved with Mom and others at the home. They NEVER once said a word to me that they had even changed her meds. More or less prescribed all of this. I have came home for over a month crying and thinking my mom was in final stages and dying. To this day the doctor has not called me back, I told them as soon as I found out to take her off the Anti psychotic meds and put her back on her normal medications. When I spoke to one of the coordinators she seemed shocked that I was upset, she told me the doctor cut back on her dose. I told her that I did not request they to cut back although I understand that they now need to wean her off. I want her off totally. She tried to tell me that they make cocktails for some of the pacients so this let me know that they had her on about 3 anti psychotics and mixing other items like sezciour meds, they she said well I hope you will not shut your mind to this. I am very angry that they think that they can do this without consent. Has anyone run into this? I here its quite common and I just can't believe that this has happened. Mom is being taken off and I can see a huge difference. I plan to meet the doctor on Thursday when she is there and question her on this and let her know that this is unacceptable. Now my sister is wanting me to move Mom, she thinks that they will no longer be good to her. I have been told that unless it is necessary and you have no choice to not move her. I want to see what happens next and feel that if they cooperate and I see no difference in her care that we need to leave her there. The aids take care of mom and they are so good to her. I doubt that they know what is going on. I welcome any advice that you can give me or any one that has encountered the same situation and what they might have done.
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I think you need to inform your state medical board about this Dr's prescribing habits and report the nursing home for the way you and Mom were treated
I was sent to rehab in a Nursing Home after hip replacement. The Dr came once a month and liked to see all new patients (what a concept) he walked in extended his hand and announced he was Dr X and left!!!!!!!! When it was obvious my new hip joint had become infected he was contacted by phone and changed the antibiotic and instructed the staff to keep it clean till my next hospital appointment four days hence. I knew how serious this was and that I should immediately start IV antibiotics. The RN was only allowed to go through their Dr so could not consult the hospital. My husband said there was nothing to stop him so he did so and put me in the car and took me back to the hospital where I needed additional surgery to clear the infection and six weeks of IV antibiotics at home.
As someone else said everyone needs an advocate and question everything you are concerned about . The patient or their POA has every right to stop any treatment they disagree with.
Good for you Aveeno
The Doctor even plaster all over the paperwork to the new nursing home that I was in denial about my mother condition. My Husband went to the home late at night and demanded a list of meds that she had been given and they were still giving it to her even after I told them NO!!. She has now been at the new home for 5 days and doing well, they are very professional and last night I was quite surprised when they told me and they were anger after getting to know Mom that she had to be highly medicated. They even told me that they were afraid to take Mom, I'm guessing they really gave her a bad review and Me as well. It is just terrible what I have seen, I'm only trying to help people by posting this. Its just heartbreaking. Mom is able to understand something now and I told her that the doctor would be there to help her with her neck pain and give her a stronger medication than Tylenol, she looked at me so pitiful and said Honey please no more medication!!!!
I would be cautious to insist on a change in meds that the doctor disagrees with. I'd discuss with the doctor the reasons for the meds. It sounds like your mother had multiple problems previously. I think that sometimes, there is an adjustment period to get the right med and right dose. Maybe, they can work on that for your mother. It sounds like a lot of medication, but, some are for things like blood pressure or cholesterol.
Also, I'd ask, because some meds may be prescribed off label and some meds for depression or anxiety are for seizures, based on things that I've read.
I would be hesitant to assume that her decline is a result of the medication, as with dementia, decline may happen at anytime. I hope they can answer your questions and get things sorted. You say that since she's off the medication that you see a big difference. That sounds positive, but, I'd keep in mind that we may only see a glimpse of what they are experiencing when we visit and the facility staff see them 24/7. Hopefully, they have a larger view of how the patient is faring. Maybe, a team meeting at the facility could help.