http://agingparentsauthority.com/main/is-your-aging-parent-overmedicated/ The premier resource for anyone taking care of the elderly. Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:03:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://agingparentsauthority.com/main/is-your-aging-parent-overmedicated/comment-page-1/#comment-475 Karen Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:53:37 +0000 http://agingparentsauthority.com/?p=602#comment-475 My mother moved into assisted living in July because of Alzheimer's. At that time she could walk well and was fairly alert. Because she was agitated in her first month there, the assisted living administrators contacted a geriatric psychiatrist, who prescribed 1500 mg. of Depakote daily. My mother turned into a zombie, she was so sedated. It's been very difficult to get them to lower this medicine, although, thanks to her primary care physician, it's been reduced somewhat. But basically I feel that my mother is in a chemical straight jacket, and I don't know what else I can do. My mother moved into assisted living in July because of Alzheimer’s. At that time she could walk well and was fairly alert. Because she was agitated in her first month there, the assisted living administrators contacted a geriatric psychiatrist, who prescribed 1500 mg. of Depakote daily. My mother turned into a zombie, she was so sedated. It’s been very difficult to get them to lower this medicine, although, thanks to her primary care physician, it’s been reduced somewhat. But basically I feel that my mother is in a chemical straight jacket, and I don’t know what else I can do.

]]> http://agingparentsauthority.com/main/is-your-aging-parent-overmedicated/comment-page-1/#comment-325 Rob McInnes Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:14:39 +0000 http://agingparentsauthority.com/?p=602#comment-325 I am a senior caregiver to an aging parent and I am very concerned about this. My mother is in her 80's and lives 1500 miles away. She lives alone and is independent. She takes multiple medications on an irregular schedule. She takes different numbers of pills at different times of the day. I worry that she will get these mixed up or even forget to take some. I try to phone her every few days to keep in touch. But this is not easy for either of us. I am a senior caregiver to an aging parent and I am very concerned about this. My mother is in her 80′s and lives 1500 miles away. She lives alone and is independent. She takes multiple medications on an irregular schedule. She takes different numbers of pills at different times of the day. I worry that she will get these mixed up or even forget to take some. I try to phone her every few days to keep in touch. But this is not easy for either of us.

]]>