Would love to hear from other caregivers and their experience with their Bi-Polar Parents. My sister and I have been struggling with the care of our aging father since our mother passed away two years ago. It is obvious now how much of his behavior our mom kept a secret of sorts. My sister and I have a power of attorney for healthcare/mental health treatment, yet we just do not know how we could exercise this in the event that Dad decides to stop taking his meds.
He, as a human and a Adult, has the right to stop taking his meds if he so chooses.
Whether he is in a right state of mind when he does OR is not, he still has the right to do so.
You can not force feed the meds on him. It's actually illegal in many places and could be seen as elder abuse.
IF he becomes a danger to himself or to others... you certainly can have him picked up and he'd be taken to a nearest psych facility and/or general medical facility. He'd stay for a short while, they'll get him back on meds, and he'd come home. Yet there is nothing to keep him from refusing to take the meds again.
Eric had a few good suggestions about the health care worker checking on him or a assisted living center if you 2 would rather not have him with you. That way, someone is looking in on him and keeping a daily observance.
Yet... not a lot to do really unless you just want to wield out that POA every time you feel like whipping it out and having him repeatedly picked up for one behavior or another that you 2 don't feel like dealing with... gets quite expensive in the long run and well.. mistrust certainly would be a issue as well as his sense of you guys controlling him.
Featuring Content From:
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 © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The only way you can enforce it is if he is a threat to himself of others. He can run naked down the street and there is little you can do. So a few questions...does he live alone or with one of you girls? If he live alone, have you thought of having a health care worker come in once a day to make sure he is eating ok and taking his medications? Have you thought of assisted living apartments or if he is living alone...moving him in with one of you girls.
You can basically have him picked up at any time and be evaluated...but the draw back to that is the mistrust you will have placed between you guys and I would expect he would have little to do with you afterwords.
thanks for your response. Our dad has been in 2 hospitals, one assisted living and one more hospital visit and lastly one rehab place within the last 4 months. His initial hospital visit was as the result of him driving 2 1/2 hours away and calling us after following some strangers and freaking them out so they pulled into a police station. From the direction of the police officer he called us and we stayed on the cell phone with him and guided him home over the next 2 hours. He had been withdrawalling from a medicine called thorzine that a new doctor had suggested he get off of due to his age and the possible impact on his liver. That change sent him into one terrible chemical imbalance and naturally a manic state. That is where our nightmares began. Since then, its been a roller coaster of many emotions for him naturally as well as my sister and I. Each visit dad knew his rights and would proceed to sign a "five day" and demand he be discharged. They used shots of Helldawl that didn't even phase him ! The whole ordeal was very scary. To make a very long story short, the 3rd hospital finally decided to try him on all new meds and that is where the progress started to happen. That medicine being Depikote and Seroquel. In answer to your question, dad is living alone and we do talk with him daily and take him out every other day for lunch and shopping etc. As of a few days ago, he was demanding we return his car to him. We are both very hesitant to do so since his road trip 4 months ago. Dad insists that he is fine yet is exhibiting more manic behavior, such as impulsive spending and racing conversations, etc. We take him to see his psychiatrist tomorrow. I hope that he agrees to an increase in dosage of the meds - because as of last week, he talks of hopefully not wanting to need the meds anymore. ug. :o(