Sign in

or Register now

OurAlzheimer's.com

See all of our health sites at www.HealthCentral.com
Sunday, November, 23, 2008

Question
J Revels
07/04/08
J Revels
Category:dementiacaregiving suggestions

My Mother has dementia and is taking aricept, do I help her remember? What about panic attacks?

Answer This
Answers (1)
Carol Bradley Bursack
Carol Bradley Bursack
Close
Author and Eldercare Columnist

Elder care columnist, author and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack...

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Since the doctor has prescribed the drug, I would certainly do my best to make sure she gets it as directed. That's the point of prescribing it. I know that's hard if you aren't living with her. There are many pill boxes with alarms and reminders at drug stores and online, but this are only effective in the earlier stages. If the drug isn't taken properly, it won't help as much as it should, so this is a priority. Is there a neighbor that can help? A teenager that can stop by?

 

One caution: I put my mother-in-law's pills in a daily reminder container only to find she'd been playing a shell game, and had piled a bunch into one segment of the box and more were missing and I had no idea what she had taken. That's when I knew that "solution" was no longer practical and could even be lethal. Human observation is best if at all possible.

Carol

Ask a Question

Get answers from our experts and community members.

Answer a Question

Presidential election voting

Answer This View all questions >

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 The HealthCentral Network. The HealthCentral Network does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.