Social services - can we fix them?
By M on Monday 5 February 2007, 19:18 - Journal - Permalink
I was joking yesterday when I suggested that we might reduce the dosage of
Risperidone, but today it seems that we may have to adapt somehow, and
reduction in dosage is one possibility.
Regan called this afternoon to tell me that she had arrived at the house at about 1:30 or 2 o'clock this afternoon. Mum was asleep in her armchair, but she managed to come to the table for lunch, only to then fall asleep again at the table, and ate no more than a mouthful. After being guided back to her armchair she continued to sleep until about 3 pm, at which time she grew quite alert and managed to eat a little more.
Regan assumed, since the nurse didn't turn up while she was there, that she had been in earlier and the immediate effect of the Risperidone was to knock mum out.
This is not a good pattern it if persists. Since mum already eats like a bird, the further reduction in her nutrition is worrying. If only the nurses could find it within themselves to adapt the rules to fit. Since there is no more 'danger' from mum, couldn't we have the tablets administered in the evening? Then, perhaps, her drowsiness would help matters rather than hinder them.
I need to speak to Lana (Case Manager) again about this, perhaps a telephone call will work better than an email. If we get no joy from that avenue, I am rather inclined to take over the administration of the medicine ourselves. We may be able to achieve four or five doses a week, which may be the right sort of level.
Alison, who cleans the house on Tuesdays, called in today to say that she has gastro-enteritis and cannot work tomorrow. Given that she told Rachel last week that the times were no longer convenient for her, as she has to leave early to pick up her son from school, I am slightly suspicious. When she mentioned the inconvenience to Rachel we simply waited to hear what the agency (or rather the case manager) would tell us, since we have no option but to deal with the service at this level of remove. This gastro-enteritis seems to have the effect of masking what is going to happen. Do we have Alison at these times, or do we not?
The never-ending readjustment of social services continues...
Regan called this afternoon to tell me that she had arrived at the house at about 1:30 or 2 o'clock this afternoon. Mum was asleep in her armchair, but she managed to come to the table for lunch, only to then fall asleep again at the table, and ate no more than a mouthful. After being guided back to her armchair she continued to sleep until about 3 pm, at which time she grew quite alert and managed to eat a little more.
Regan assumed, since the nurse didn't turn up while she was there, that she had been in earlier and the immediate effect of the Risperidone was to knock mum out.
This is not a good pattern it if persists. Since mum already eats like a bird, the further reduction in her nutrition is worrying. If only the nurses could find it within themselves to adapt the rules to fit. Since there is no more 'danger' from mum, couldn't we have the tablets administered in the evening? Then, perhaps, her drowsiness would help matters rather than hinder them.
I need to speak to Lana (Case Manager) again about this, perhaps a telephone call will work better than an email. If we get no joy from that avenue, I am rather inclined to take over the administration of the medicine ourselves. We may be able to achieve four or five doses a week, which may be the right sort of level.
Alison, who cleans the house on Tuesdays, called in today to say that she has gastro-enteritis and cannot work tomorrow. Given that she told Rachel last week that the times were no longer convenient for her, as she has to leave early to pick up her son from school, I am slightly suspicious. When she mentioned the inconvenience to Rachel we simply waited to hear what the agency (or rather the case manager) would tell us, since we have no option but to deal with the service at this level of remove. This gastro-enteritis seems to have the effect of masking what is going to happen. Do we have Alison at these times, or do we not?
The never-ending readjustment of social services continues...
Comments
Hi Mike - we have this issue with mum and risperidone. She has gone through some spells where she is almost catatonic from the drowsiness. When the pills were reduced it seemed to help but then she became aggressive so they increased the dose again. We were never sure if it was the risperidone or if it was a natural progression of the dementia. That it is also happening to your mum, is very interesting.
Sarah
Same here. Risperdal (risperdone) would knock my father out for DAYS. He'd do nothing but sleep and it did nothing for his hallucinations. If you google it, you'll see many similar experiences. And then there's Aricept, another valueless drug.
Why are there no good drugs for Alzheimer's patients? No funding? Nobody cares? What? They're going to die soon anyway? Is anyone else as frustrated with this as me? If so, let's DO something about it. At some point, things HAVE to change or our kids are going to be writing about us. I want ideas. Anyone?
Now, I'm not sure which is worse: The endless, moment to moment managing I do of my mother's life because I've been bitten too often by social services to want that any more, or the endless managing I watch you and your siblings perform in order to keep the bites to a minimum.
One thing your journal has done for me, Mike, is to remind me that, either way, it's a bitch. One just has to know to which bitch one is better suited.