Hi Sandi-- I was glad to sign you on the CARE list just now. I also want
to comment re: your father's behavior, which sounds as if he is suffereing
from dementia to some degree. Evaluating his meds will be a good idea, for
sure, as that may be at least part of the cause. I doubt that the yelling
will be fatal, but refusing meds and losing weight are serious. You have
taken a good step in getting more attention to his problems.. It is good
that your mother has help--sounds as if she really needs it. If you will
give a little more information about your father-- when he was diagnosed,
meds he takes, etc. people can be more helpful, as each PWP is unique in
some ways. It is also good to have him see a movement disorder specialist
--at least for a consultation--as many general neuros don't see enough PWPs
to catch all the nuances.....here's hoping the hospitalization helps. See
you on CARE !
>Dear group,
>
>I just joined this list. My father is 79 and has advanced Parkinsons.
>He has Community Based Medicaid and lives in my home. My mother is the
>primary caregiver and has 40 hours a week help from an aide provided by
>Medicaid.
>
>A few weeks ago my father started yelling all the time and repeating
>words. He would do it in the middle of the night and started getting
>very almost violent. He refused to take his pills a lot and he has lost
>a lot of weight. We talked to the doctors and different people and
>finally put him in the hospital to have a "psychiatric evaluation" where
>they will evaluate his medications.
>
>Has anyone had this kind of experience? I talked to one woman who said
>her father-in-law yelled like that and died 6-8 months later.
>
>Also - I would like to know about feeding tubes. When my dad was in the
>nursing home there was a man that was on one but he was totally
>unresponsive like he was in a coma. The case above (father-in-law) they
>chose not to use a feeding tube.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Sandi
Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 82/70/55
Oxford, Ohio
<[log in to unmask]>
on the web at http://members.tripod.lycos.nl/genugten/flinterm.htm
and also at http://www.geocities.com/camillahf/index.html
"Ask me about the CARE list for Caregivers of Parkinsonians ! "
And visit the CARE webring at
http://www.crosswinds.net/~caregivers/index.html
