Thursday, July 09, 2009 Concerned daughter asks

Q: Any one have experience with this?

Vascular demented Father thinks his floor is wet and the sprinklers are sraying chemicals!

For months my father has been saying the floor is wet and keeps changing his socks all day long. I did some research and there is actually a type of neuropathy that causes that feeling so I informed his doctor, who had not heard of it. They are getting him a referral to the neurologist. BUT this last week he insists that everything smells. The plants outside his window have auto sprinklers and he thinks they are sraying human waste fertilizer and is using a fan to blow it out of his room. He even thinks the closet smells like it. HMMN. he is having very high blood pressure but then very low so they don't want to give him too much more BP meds because then he will be dizzy.

My mother recently died and they are also going to get him in with the "shrink" to see if some of those drugs would help, that perhaps he is depressed and that is causing the weir sensations and smells. Has anyone else experienced this with their loved ones?

Answers (2)

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Carol Bradley Bursack

7/10/09 8:24am

You are doing the right things for him. The loss of his wife has likely pushed him further down the road in his dementia. Seeing a psychiatrist for a diagnosis for possible depression makes a lot of sense. Paranoia (the human waste being sprayed toward him) wouldn't be unusual with dementia but could also be caused by meds he's already taking. Same with the nerve symptoms (wet floors). A psychiatrist educated in different types of dementia should be able to sort through these things, but be very aware of any new drugs, changed drugs, etc. Medications are wonderful, but sometimes they cause side effects that end up being treated by other drugs.

It's good that his doctor is cautious about his blood pressure meds, but your dad may be taking others medications, as well. Everything he's taking should be looked at by the psychiatrist, and it also wouldn't hurt to have a pharmacist go over his meds.

Carol

Concerned daughter

7/11/09 12:53am

Thanks so much for your advice. Yes the neurologist and psychiatrist appts will be placed soon. I"m also trying to get them to do another brain scan to see if the vascular dementia is progressing rapidly or other things are the problem. Kaiser really doesn't like to do tests on old people.

I feel somewhat releived knowing the guradianship hearing is over and now the planning starts. My lawyer did a nice job in court.

I learned that you do not address the judge until you have been introduced, ha. I simply said good afternoon your honor, you would have thought I shot her in the foot, ha. I really don't care. I was nervous and very HOT. WE were 29th on the docket so the room was very crowded and it was a hot day outside and very humid (which is not the norm for here). Thanks again.

Carol Bradley Bursack

7/11/09 9:12am

LOL! Most caregivers don't expect to learn how to behave in court : )

I'm glad you can see the humor, even if it's dark humor.

Humor keeps us sane, and often the only kind we can find is rather dark.

Blessings,

Carol

7/10/09 3:24pm

I think this is demential. Depression does not have such fantasy or illusion.

My father-in-law who has stage 6 Alzheimer's was once very stubborn about his toilet in early 2007. He had mid-Alzheimers at that time. He insisted that the water pipes were connected to the neighbors in a way that the water can flood from the toilet to the bathroom and etc. The fact was he was playing with the toilet and "pushed and pushed" until the water flooded the bathroom. The caregiver had to wash it off at least twice. He also covers up the toilet thinking the water would come out of it! It was quite crazy and he even peed into the sink next to it once trying to "fix this problem". He even told my husband how the pipes were over there in the front yard all the way to the end of the block and so the water will come up to flood the house!! So the caregivers made sure the bathroom is clean with strong chemicals.

Well it took about 2 or 3 months for this to pass. Now he still covers up the toilet after he uses it. He sometimes thinks this neighborhood/block is all connected like a community so the neighbor has to care for him or something. (he is in his own house now.)

Maybe your father should try the dementia drugs like aricept or namenda? These drugs are quite powerful to keep the patient calm.

Regards,

Nina

Concerned daughter

7/11/09 12:49am

Thanks for sharing with me. He is on aricept has been for several months. It made a big difference. He is also on seroquel since February. The only change is the BP meds. AND my brother talking to him about money and being mean spirited. I really think that is the root of all of this. However, Kasier really hasn't done a through job of diagnosing him. They pretty much through him away for us to handle the bill after the surgery.

Today was tough at the guardianship hearing. Everything was fine, just seemed so "final" that he is now mine to handle alone. He trusts me so that is good. I just hope we make it through the summer with him still knowing me.

He wanted me to spend the night tonight which I often do,but I really wanted a beer and his room was so darn hot. He has AC he just likes it hot. I knew I would not get any sleep so I came home. I told him he has to come stay with me at the lake before Iwill spend the night at his "condo" again, he said that seems fair enough. He is very paranoid about his place now that he has things of his own there. I told him we would lock the door and if they new he wasn't there theywouldn't come in to change the towels, etc. It has been a very long road to here from 1/14 the day of surgery.Now I get to write the care plan etc for the court. Again thanks.

7/13/09 2:57pm

I am glad that you got the guardianship. It is so helpful. Some doctors don't seem to like to do it all for the elderly. Even when it comes to cancer, they also ask if you want to wait and see! (My Dad is going to have operation to remove his early stage cancer from his kidney. The doc. also gave him the option of waiting.)

I thought the neurologist or psychiatrist can make good diagnosis for your Dad.

Money is certainly some issue that bothers my father-in-law also. We no longer talk about money. The last time one young caregiver talked to him about wanting money and we fired her. My FIL's elder son also asked for money up to 2008. We finally hinted that no one mentions money to my FIL. I think however the illusion may not have to do with money. He is just confused overall, money or chemical. For my FIL, along with the money situation, he was still confused with the water and so on.

I was told that a new environment also makes the person more confused. I hope he will get used to his new place. You are such a good daughter for him!

Nina

Q: Any one have experience with this?

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