My mom is in an ALF. They complained that she needed meds to calm her down, she has wanted to leave there, really hates it. I took her to her primary care doctor who breezily prescribed Seroquel. It’s been about 8 weeks now, and her behavior has only gotten worse. More than that, she has deteriorated rapidly and noticeably - she is extremely confused, frequently incontinent, doing crazy things, talking gibberish. BUT — she knows exactly who I am. I have started listening TO MY MOM, she has long moments of complete lucidity when she tells me she doesn’t want to live there anymore; she is not asking to come home with me, she CLEARLY asks me to move her to a better place. I have been visiting more often and observed for myself that the facility just isn’t equipped to handle her particular dementia symptoms; I now realize they want her drugged so they can handle her rather than admit that she needs more specialized care. I am preparing to move her to a better facility, and I want to stop the Seroquel. But I want her to be stabilized NOW, I am really afraid for her health. She is very weak and tired, all of these negatives amplified ONLY since the Seroquel started. I know this drug is dangerous and tricky and that a doctor needs to supervise taking her off of it. The doctor who prescribed it is off the case, she was unresponsive once the bad reaction started, and I frankly feel she is out of her depth having prescribed it in the first place so easily. So my question is: can I, as her legal representative, take her to a psychiatrist and ask that they ONLY do what is necessary to get her safely off of the Seroquel and not START her on any other long term or dangerous psych med? Just to get her back to “square one” as soon as possible, so that I can move her to the new facility with a clean slate?
Have no fear. YOU are the person your mother appointed to be her advocate. Go right ahead!
I understand that your mom wants to home with you. Don't do that. Caring for a dementia patient who becomes agitated frequently is not a job for amateurs.
EACH CASE IS DIFFERENT. Adjustments are often necessary. And sometimes the drug does not work at all for the patient.
So, count me as one who would definitely not recommend this particular drug.