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Dwyla12 Asked August 2018

My father in-law's wife is addicted to 3 pain killers and my father in law has Alzheimer's. I have a time with her. Any advice?

Should I call someone?

Midkid58 Aug 2018
Dawayla--

I take it that English may not be your first language--so I am having a hard time understanding your question.

If your mother in law is bedbound, there's no way she can be getting pain killers that are "dangerous" to her. Perhaps you are thinking that Ibuprofen, Tylenol and aspirin are all painkillers and can be abused. These are NOT the pain killers that people worry about (although too much of any of these will make you sick).

Sounds like you need to call APS (Adult Protectice Services) right away and have your in laws checked to see if they should continue to live alone. I think you can raise the concern about the pain meds--and the inability of an elderly man with ALz. being able to care for his wife.

I wish you luck. They do need help.

Ahmijoy Aug 2018
Dwalya, you need to call Adult Protective Services in your city and ask them to come out and asses the situation. These 2 people should not be on their own, alone. Your FIL should not be taking care of her. He is too old and he has already hurt himself. It’s hard enough for a young person to be a full time caregiver. She needs to be someplace and he might need that too.

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Grandma1954 Aug 2018
Is she caring for your Father in Law? Is she doing a good job? Maybe you can not do anything right now.
Or do you think he is in danger of any kind? Mental, physical, is he left alone? Is Mother in Law taking any of Father in Laws medications?
If so you / your husband might have to obtain Guardianship in order to ensure that he has proper care, possibly a safe place to live.
If your husband does not want to deal with this or admit that this is happening it might take a call to Adult Protective Services. This will be a difficult call to make but often it takes a catastrophic incident to force families into action and you do not want either of them injured to make people realize that help is necessary.

The first person to worry about is the person with Dementia that can not look after himself. This person needs to be safe, cared for.

The second person to deal with is the one that is making the choice to abuse drugs. If he is "of sound mind" there is not much you can do unless and until she accepts the fact that she needs help and is ready to accept the help. Again often a catastrophic event will make that happen.

Ahmijoy Aug 2018
Your profile is blank, so it’s kind of difficult to give advice since your question also gives no details. Are they living with you? Are you their sole caregiver or does your husband and his family pitch in? How does your mother-in-law get the medication? Does she go to different doctors who all prescribe painkillers for her? Does she pick them up herself? Is she violent? Are you afraid she will harm herself or someone else? Does the rest of the family know she’s addicted? Does she go to these doctors by herself?

You will need to find the prescription bottles.and get the names and numbers of the doctors. Call them and explain to them that your MIL has become addicted to these medications. When she goes to the doctors, send a note ahead of time that they are not to prescribe any further painkillers because she is addicted. It would help if your husband would support you. His mother may need to be hospitalized to break the addiction. If he’s turning a blind eye to this. Go to the rest of his family. You can’t deal with this and your father-in-Law by yourself.
Dwyla12 Aug 2018
No she can't get out of bed she does her on medicine she has had 2 stock and he hand her bag of medicine and he is 80 and has to change her daiper she know when she uses the daiper she just won't eat pill that all she wants he is now compaing about his back I told him he might have a pull muscle he won't send her no her children do won't to look after her

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