My Mom has dementia and is in denial. She keeps asking if I think she is nuts. I am remaining calm at this point and just listining to her weird rants. She also is seeing people. It is somewhat managable but she won't go see her doctor believing that she is going to be put away. I believe she has had a sort of mental illness and depression before the onset occured. I explain that she needs to see the doctor to upgrade hero prescriptions having some previous health challanges. The doctor said he coulkd arrange a nurses visit to make an evaluation but I know she would get angry and possibly violent. I don't know what to do. If there is any advice, please give it to me. Thanks.
- Introduction
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Prevention
-
Caregiving
- Coping with Emotional Changes
- Coping with Memory Loss
- Costs and Insurance
- Creating a Daily Routine
- Exercise
- Health and Wellbeing of the Caregiver
- Home Safety Adjustments
- Mental Exercises
- Respite Care
- Talking to Children about Alzheimer's
- Talking to Friends about Alzheimer's
- Telling Someone They Have Alzheimer's
- Transition to Assisted Living
- Transition to Nursing Home
- Work
- Related Conditions
- Resources
2/21/11 10:12am
Hi Jimmy,
You are probably right about her mental illness, and that feeds her fear that she'll be "put away." You've already tried nearly everything, but you could call the Alzheimer's organization nearest you. They generally have social workers and may be able to send someone out, of at least guide you through this. They've seen it all.
Good luck, Jimmy. If this fails, you can call social services and see if they can do a welfare check on her.
Blessings,
Carol
2/21/11 1:39pm
Jimmy,
What you can do is to let her know that the nurse's visit is about friendly visit, not about "check on her". It helps if you tell her a friend of hers is visiting her and it is better if you are there with her to help out. The trick is to ask the health professional to talk to her like a friend and convince her that the home care or professional care is there for help her and she should not be afraid. For example, when my father-in-law didn't want a caregiver at home, the home care co. president (a small business) came to talk to him and convinced him that a caregiver can help him a lot.
The other thing they can tell her is to convince her from their professioanl experiences that this happens and there is a way to cope with her and that she does not have to think it is the end of the world.
If you have a friend who is a nurse or doctor or health care professional, it will help a lot to bring in the friend to talk to her about it and convince her to do the right thing.
Regards,
NC
Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media. Remedy Health Media does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.
10 Signs of Alzheimer's 
10 Ways to Protect Your Brain Against Alzheimer’s 
10 Things to Do After an Alzheimer's Diagnosis 
Seven Facts You Should Know About Alzheimer's Disease
By Jimmy— Last Modified: 10/26/11, First Published: 02/20/11
Featuring Content From:
- About Us |
- Contact Us |
- Privacy Policy |
- Terms of Use |
- Security Policy |
- Advertising Policy |
- Advertise With Us
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2013 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
