Mom with ALZ refusing medication. Any advice?

My Mom is very sensitive to medication so the other forms of this drug caused side effects. Also... my evil aunt always reads the side effects to my Mom and then suddenly my Mom has them. My Mom is a bit of a hypochondriac. Anyway, we know the patch was working because when my Mom fell and broke her hip this last March we were able to use it while she was in the hospital. She didn’t have any bad reactions to it. We also felt it was having a positive effect but that is really hard to be sure of. She seemed a bit more coherent. Then she got home and was able to get on the phone again. Who knows tho... what we thought was an improvement could have nothing to do with the medication and then what we thought was a decline could just be the progression of her disease.

By working the best you seem to by implying that it hasn't caused any side effects, but do you feel it is actually doing what it is prescribed to do? My understanding is that all of these types of meds are more of a cross your fingers and hope than a guarantee of benefit, I think it would be OK to miss occasionally or give it up completely.

My Mom has been given all other options for this drug. She has side-effects to all. The patch was working the best. She is too coherent to sneak it on and the ALF said they can’t make her take it if she refuses.

I did some reading on the drug and it doesn’t seem to get great reviews. So maybe it isn’t worth the battle?

Thank you for all your helpful advice!! I do love this group!!

The Exelon patch works best when placed on a person's upper or lower back as well as upper chest or upper arms. Sometimes when a person with Alzheimer's can "SEE" the patch, they want to remove it. If you are only putting the patch on your Mom's arms or chest, then maybe you need to try to put it on her back. Change locations on the back to decrease the possibility of irritation. I like BuzzyBee's suggestion to use decorative Band-Aids and put those on your Mom as a diversion.

You state that your Mom "is very sensitive to medication". What type of reactions does she have?

Is it possible that your Mom is sensitive to the "INACTIVE INGREDIENTS" in medications; such as lactose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and silicon dioxide, carnauba wax, titanium dioxide, edible black ink along food dyes or coloring--FD&C Blue No. 1 Lake, FD&C Blue No. 2 Lake or FD&C Red No. 40 Lake?

Has your Mom tried the Exelon orally either in capsule or liquid form? Does she spit the medication out? Or does she have a reaction to the oral version of Exelon?

https://www.rxlist.com/exelon-patch-drug.htm

May be , if you help her dress? You can sneak it onto her back?

I remember when the children where small, I used pretty plasters.
How about you both sit down with felt tips. You colour a plaster and she can colour her patch, Then you both put them on? If she insists on giving you hers, then just change who colours which one. :) Make them pretty.
A butterfly would be nice.

im not familiar with that patch/drug. can you contact the dr. that prescribed and ask if there is another way/ another RX ?
is it a big patch to be worn on the upper arm? or can it be placed in another area.?
Edit. Oh sorry I re-read that she has problems w meds