Talking with Dad about his medications. Any advice?

Oh my how frustrating! And yes, those words from your mom DO hurt. i've learned that she says those "ugly words" and accusations to me... not to my sibs, because i am the one that's here. She can be her 'party/perky self" with them, and whoosh - and wowzers, i get the full swing of the mood swings - mostly things flying across the room, the ''i wish i were dead, i wish you were dead... i wish you would just leave/move and get out of my sight...." Ouch. i MAKE myself take 1 hour each time to rejuvenate my spirit, find my calm...and repair my thoughts. i actually put up a DO NOT DISTURB PLEASE sign on my door. Yes, she still knocks or pushes the door open, even though she was dosing when i closed the door. But i stick to that schedule - 7pm every night. It's for me ... and if i don't take time to tend to my own self, my own matters, set up my RX box or read, or pray, or sing or watch TV or sometimes, i go in the backyard and look at the flowers and birds: if i don't take my quiet time, it's as though i'm punishing or denying myself a one hour's respite, every day. It's important, so please find the hour, and take it: use it to repair yourself - laugh, cry, write in a journal [or a letter - and shred it in a couple of days if you wish - whatever you need to do. And don't let go of that one time! Your parent will try to usurp that time from you ... believe me, but to relinquish it, you'll find yourself getting angry. Anger is a rough emotion to get over, and try please to safeguard yourself from it. It's YOU time. Your mom or dad CAN survive an hour without your company and without your running all around the house to ensure they get this and that on time. Sometimes, i think she enjoys the catering service. It's okay, but i make sure she has snacks before i take my evening respite [yogurt or small carrot sticks, jello - whatever it is that she will eat and enjoy]. Oh how i'd love to take a walk - clear out the mental cobwebs and talk with God. He does answer our prayers - when we are quiet enough to listen, we can hear His voice, and heed His guidance. i'm trying really hard to not be hard-hearted toward my sibs - maybe i am meant to be here for Mom and care for her to the best of my ability.

i wish i could recall the name of the product - it is a LOCKING RX box. Walmart has small cases that have a key -- i'm trying those as well. If it doesn't resolve the need, at least i'll have a very nice digital-locking case for all those computer flash drives we tend to accumulate :) . Perhaps reaching out - to the Agency on Aging [ours is called B-1 - it's in the phone book, or call your state's senior citizens services department and they'll give you the number. They have so many resources [attorneys, too] available to help, they truly are a Godsend. i was grateful for their services/advise/and materials when i needed to help Mom take care of her sister/my aunt. Area on Agency can assist in providing a list of in-home or assisted living sites/resources, just for the asking. Many nursing homes also offer DAYCARE for adults. Sometimes, YOU need the day off - and that's a very safe place for your parent. By all means, talk to the people/relatives of patients in the parking lot for their opinions of the facility and also ask for a tour from the administrative office, before signing anything.

Re your direct question about pill management - have you consulted the pharmacy or drugstore? They encounter questions all the time about seniors/meds, and may have an idea or solution to share, right on the tip of their thoughts. Also, perhaps just stop by a medical supply store and 'pick their brains' for ideas. You don't need to buy it -- [if you want to try it, note the manufacturer, and price shop to see where it might be available for less cost. Money goes so fasssssssst. Binsons offers a 10 pcnt AAA or AARP discount - fyi. Just consider what they suggest. Sometimes it's better to just have one day's dose of the meds available, and the rest locked up. The compartments can be separated easily: i have one, and it holds 4 slots for one day, and 7 "boxcars" for the week. I found it more difficult and time consuming to use, and it created more problems than it solved. Mom's on 10 RXs and 3 eye drops - i'm on 59 doses of RX, a patch, migraine pills that must stay in their foil wrapper until used, and a TENS unit etc etc.... When i tell Mom i need to concentrate [to balance her and my checkbooks or any task] she finds it necessary to interrupt me on purpose - and walks away as though i'd hurt her, when i remind her i need to think ... can she wait 15 minutes .... but in 2 minutes, she comes back, with a singing stuffed bear in her hands. [Wonder if i can sneak in 2 one-hour sessions tonight?]

There are agencies/services to help with meds, etc - either in person or over the phone [like a concierge] your preference ... would that be a temporary/as needed solution for you? [i wouldn't take the independent, for security reasons - you never know what your Mom might tell a stranger -- even telling them how clever they are about hiding money, jewelry, etc]. Either way, talk with an Elder Ombudsman, , the State's Senior Services Dept, or Agency on Aging, Area [1B?] before locking in a longterm arrangement with anyone on anything. Sometimes the Library's information desk or research desk has information at their disposal, too. Talk to as many people out there that you can think of to help you. A GOOD friend might be more compassionate and reliable than an fill-in service - and please do offer compensation to them.

My Mom's short term memory is g.o.n.e. She can't control it, but without that 1 hr, i wouldn't be able to control my responses to answering the same question, multiple times a day or days in a row. And i've got to get over her not wanting to do/go anywhere with me. At the drugstore, she wants to sit in the care [ok, it's 88 degrees out, or in the winter - um, 17 degrees? How could i possibly trust that she'd stay in the car and not wander off, if it were a cool 50? So no, for exercise and to 'see what's new' at the store, i urge her to come inside. She reluctantly does. But chooses to lollylag behind - talking to strangers ... meanwhile she doesn't tell me she's stopped and i must grocery shop etc alone, while calling her umpteen times on the cell phone, trying to find her! [i must find a way to put it on ringtone AND vibrate] . She gets upset when i say "Mom i want to share what we see with you - i want to appreciate them through your eyes... i miss you Mom. i miss spending time with you." Truly i do. i want the loving beautifully spirited Mom who has so much imagination, creativity and such a glow of sunshine around her -- gosh i miss Mom. Where'd she go... i'd better take my hour sooner, or use it more thoroughly tonight. The quiet time truly does help to defrazzle one's nerves, concerns and worries. Who was it that said, "Worry is like a rocking chair - you use up a lot of energy but get nowhere." Sounds like Mark Twain, perhaps. [After i got mad at mom and told her so, because she was deliberately skipping her pills -- she started taking them! At the right times! As long as i line up the 'tins' each night for the next day's use. Much better now... but yes, i must monitor - if i ask, i learned to duck -- i almost got hit with her root beer float glass & all last night.
Hand to hand, heart to heart - this group is fabulous! Love truly does conquer all, as long as when we reach the end of our ropes, as Dad would say, "Tie a knot and hang on." Blessings - and one massive group hug to all ~

i have been keeping a close eye on my mom. she was diagnosed with dementia 4 years ago. she still lives alone since my father passed 5 years ago. back in October i called the drs. office a day before her appt. and spoke to the nurse about us being worried about mom driving anymore. i was already taking her everywhere except church and my house. the dr asked the same questions that he always asks and she answer incorrectly to a couple. he told her he would really rather she didn't drive anymore. she was ok with that since the dr told her not to. i was also watching her med. organizer. she quit using it at some point and when i would ask about it. she would go into panic mode and tell me she just couldn't use that thing. i looked at her medications and she had one that i determined she was taking 2 each day instead of 1.i started fixing up her organizer and told her we had to take it right or she wouldn't have enough to get through till the next time she could refill. i call her at least 2 times daily and go over the administering of her meds. In june we went to help our oldest son move his family. we were gone for the weekend. when we returned on monday i went to her house and she had taken the AM meds correctly but had already taken all of the PM meds for the whole week. shes getting closer to needing full time care but i want to hold off as long as possible because even with the medicine issues, she does better at home. no injuries or using the stove or anything like that. the dr. says as long as we can keep her safe then we are doing the right thing. at the moment the biggest problem we have is that she has opportunities for a social life but she doesn't want to go and do unless im with her, not her own son. ME

My mom can read labels but can't reason what to do and not do. If I left two envelopes they would both be gone at time for night meds. Hoping the new dispenser will solve the meds problem. I live 15 min. away from the retirement home. If I could go twice a day I wouldnt need the dispenser, but I go when she needs me, messes up the meds or every other day if I can get by with it. She can still dial my number, and does. I tell her, if you need me to explain something, (like why there are 7 pills in the night meds and only 5 in the morning to call me. She takes two extra for sleep.). Some days I just have to go and show her what I mean. She does have a paper on the cabinet near the med machine with a sample pill and what they are for and seperated by morning and night, but she never checks it when in doubt. Over and over I say, the one with the light blue pill (Namenda) is always morning. She can be holding them in her hand and not be sure if it's the right one. She is pretty healthy except for the dementia/Alzheimer's.

I love this site!! Everyone has a story! We are not alone!! We all are facing issues we never dreamed of!! I am so thankful that when I first started 24/7 care for my dad, the RN asked my about nursing homes.. I was affended and shocked. Then the Alzheimer's chapter said the same thing!! Then the doctor!! It made me realize early on that there was a limit to the care I could give my father and still have a husband six kids and ten grandkids!!! When he can no longer respect me as a caregiver and follow safety issues, I will looking into nursing homes for all our sakes. I would rather visit him in a safe comfortable environment a few hours a day, then struggle with him ten hours a day. Not there yet but have faced the facts I will be one day

Can she read instructions?Make a morning card and a night card, list the meds and what they're for ("blood pressure, 1"), put them in a sealed envelope clipped to the card, and leave her night and morning envelopes, and no other ones in reach.

singing telegram
na na na na
looky here ya old clown, ya gotta eat these meds.
we got shrooms and ludes , and a handfull of " reds " .
they chill you out and put ya in aslow mode.
doc gives em to you so MY head dont explode ..

I have the $40 dispenser from "Lutheran services" in Mo. My mom has figured out how to force it to turn before the alarm goes off. Tonight, for instance. I spent 3 hours with her this afternoon, and as usual told her to wait for the alarm. Even set it an hour earlier hoping she wouldn't think of it before it alarmed. If she moves it, then it goes off, the morning meds come out at alarm time and are skipped, and in the morning when it rotates again, she gets her night meds for AM.
I have someone coming out Wed. To set up a box that "dispenses" the meds only when the alarm goes off. Cost is $49.99 a month. Less than paying a nurse to come to her retirement home. I'm so frustrated I want to threaten her with a nursing home! But I know that would throw her into constant worry that I'm going to do it. and repeated questions about it.
When she sleeps all day she asks me what I have done to her?
She trusts me with most things, but like the others, she counts her pills and asks me repeatedly, what am I taking this for? And doubts my competence at filling her meds box.
We are way past the AM/PM box. I even called her nightly to tell her where her night meds were and she would still take the wrong ones. It took her about 6 months to figure out she could force the rotating box, and she's never stopped.

I'm so afraid she is going to need a NH soon. She has two rooms in a retirement home. They do a lot for her, but not meds. She has a Yorkie dog that often gets outside once or twice a day if she's lucky. Mom says her legs are weak. She can't understand that walking will help that.
This sight has helped me a lot and I have shared my experiences several times as well. This is a very hard time in our lives as everyone knows.

Crikett, I love your optimism and your suggestions are very helpful. My Dad has always had the "I'm in charge and can handle anything" attitude, and not always in the bad sense, but the problems of aging are a frustration to him and I don't want to make it worse by doing or saying something that would make him feel I was treating him like a child. Caregiving is THE most stretching experience of my life!

Crikett, I love your attitude about helping your mom have a say. It's not always possible, but it's so important to remember that we aren't dealing with toddlers - we are dealing with people who have already lost so much. Just a chance to decide when to take the pill for bed is something.

You've been creative, too, and I must say that family caregivers are some of the most creative people I've ever known.

Keep helping each other. You are all amazing.
Carol

Mom takes 4 morning pills, 8 afternoon pills, and 5 nighttime pills plus 3 eye drops [different schedule for each eye]. i have a large [8-1/2"x14" pillbox set up for my convenience - 4 slots for 7 days. i put her next day's dose of pills into color-coded tins/pillboxes. Pink-am, light blue-pm, dark blue, nighttime. i hand her the tin with a bottle of Ensure or a rootbeer float [she's losing weight] and yep - watch her take them. Vitamins - wow - those chewable gummy bear-type are fabulous! i have to put out just one into each corresponding tin - it's her "sweet treat". No more problems with swallowing the required calcium pills :).Each morning, i DO have to help remind her - daily - to do the eye meds. 3 cornea transplants - and a misapplication or missed dose or a drop in the wrong eye - could take her visual deficit into the legally blind stage. She forgets - but i still keep doing the color coded chart,write the day/date out BIG on a sheet of paper each night, after she doses off. She tries to do it -- but after 4 strokes, all i can ask is for her to try. i don't want her to give up/give in - i'll monitor while she chooses which drop to put in which eye based on the color coded chart [it matches the color of the cap of each eyedrop - orange, grey and pink.).

But she has NO access to the big blue pillbox - only the tins. And i have a masking tape label on each with AM, PM, NITE on the backside - just in case she doesn't remember if she took the pill. And yes, it took 2 weeks of 'training' and daily monitoring, but she feels more secure and independent by having a "say so" and a sense of control over her meds -- and giggles when she wants an extra calcium gummy bear. [2 a day is perfect, anyway, to get the right recommended dose.] For Mom, i have her physically put the eye meds in a different place [5" on the other side of her vanity] so she knows at a glance, that she took that one eye drop. At night - i set things up for the next day.

May i suggest that he be provided access to only 1 sleeping pill a day - give it to him after supper - so that he can take it when he is supposed to. For Dad, i put a small bowl for his nighttime pill on his bedside table. If the pill was in there - he knew it was time to take it. Until time came for placing drops of morphine under the tonue, every x hours.

But for anyone on lots of meds - or from a generation that didn't have nor use meds - this RX stuff is a really weird concept. i DO have to hide the Excedrin - it's forbidden with the other meds - is it okay to say - Dad - let's find a way to make this easier! It'd drive me bonkers to try to remember when to take it: So how about we, ["get a timer ... use a tin ... ", e.g. whatever your imagination and your knowledge of your Dad's preferences/schedule would work. Maye your Dad gets daunted looking at a bottle of X number of pills, and thinks - 'Dr says i have to take these' ... and those words echo into his thoughts, the more he may lay awake, not immediately falling asleep. But if only the one pill is "out and available" in a bowl on the bedside - he will know that he took it - in about 10 day's worth of a new regime. Does your Dad get exercise? Perhaps if he's sedentary, even marching around the room / calisthetics / etc may help him tire more readily. Even a hobby ~ jigsaw puzzles, etc - fabulous for concentration!!

Don't be afraid to talk it over with him -- just ask how to "help make it easier for him." Most men do not ask for help - they think they need to figure things out for themselves. imho ;-p

My father-in-law spent his last years with us, and I would get a bunch of small manila envelopes, mark them AM or PM, and give him ONE day's meds at a time. Much less intimidating than a pillbox! Also, check his meds for multiple doctors' names and multiple pharmacies, and ask his main doctor to check what he takes periodically. My own doctor advises all his patients to list everything they are taking, including OTC and supplements, and he asks to see it, and tells us to keep it in our wallets.

All the answers are great and I had the same problem with my 85 year old Dad. He has the weekly pill containers but he used to get up a few times a night & lost track of what day it was or if it was day or night!! When I started living with him as his POA/Caregiver, I noticed the pills being taken sometimes randomly. I now have control of the meds and he has no clue where I keep them so he can never over use. If I do miss a vitamin, bet your a** he will notice! He is on hospice and has limited time now, so missing a vitamin or two won't hurt. I think you need to just take control of the meds, and if he gets angry when he goes looking for them, talk to his doctor and let them know there are problems. Go over his meds one by one, tell him what each is for and by all means, let him know you are the caregiver , the one with control of his meds. HE could overdose if you don't have the control and that may be something you won't be able to live down. Our parents are getting older and sometimes forgetful. As caregivers we need to help keep them safe and alive, as long as the good Lord allows them. Good luck & god bless.

1crazyhorse.. Now my Ma is in a secure dementia wing and when she flips out the staff say they called me and I am telling them that SHE MUST do this or that.. so they find that the easiest way to deflect any issues... so the opposite to your using the doctor as the reason. I think everyone's ideas are great, and its a case of summing up the total situation and then trialling each one, to suit the need
shows we have all been there and done that!!

MIL refuses to use the pill box set up.....out right refuses, and I have bought and returned 5 different ones. I gave her a white basket for morning pills a black basket for evening pills and a yellow basket for twice a dayers ( I wanted to break up the twice a dayers into each basket but she said no) I bought her a shot glass with "Oma's Meds" custom inscribed on it (15.00 at Things Remembered) She has a routine after breakfast and after dinner to fill the shot glass with her meds and take them with a big glass of water. She has dementia, but she is regimented. Her prescriptions are always visible. No through traffic and not in the bathroom where locked doors can conceal goings on. I'm assuming that there are no outsiders or anyone other then you and him with access to his meds. That being said. I do everything for MIL(not by choice) , she has no control over her life. Her meds are the only thing she controls and she is proud of her accomplishment. I take her to Doctors and tests and everything that surrounds the medicine taking. If she's not doing it right the Doctors will have to tell her (from the test results). If your Dad is running out because of a mistake he is making... make taking the meds easier. Use the opportunity, when faced with a sleepless night (no pills) he may fess up , agree to a regiment, or agree the pills need to be locked up. This doesn't have to be harsh, you simply can't get more pills till it's time.... ask HIM what to do about it. Give him a little control in the decision making process, just provide him with options. Be creative. FIL had a shelf in the kitchen for his meds, he would turn the bottle upside down to signal that he took it. Honestly not sure how that worked but for him, it did. FYI not a big fan of the pill boxes when they get dropped or turned over the chance of an avalanche of meds is inevitable.

Count them when you get refill for correct amt. Chances right # but count anyway.

Being an R.N., I become leery of others. Are there any others in the home who might be taking the meds? Anyone who comes into the home to do med set ups??? Could be your dad, could be your mom?? Investigate, that is what I would do. I am speaking from experience. That is all I have to give you, my years of experience.

I'm going for the 30 day pill minder thingy. I have had to take over more and more the dispensing of these meds. It has been a gradual process over the last year as he has become more and more forgetful. When I finally took the whole mess over, I found that he had been stashing various pills in various containers Eeeek! He still gets huffy about it, but we are getting the job done. I do try to show him new pills/meds and explain once again what they are for. Hate that the filling company uses different makers hence different pill colors and shapes for the exact same med. Very confusing to the elderly. I think by trying to keep him in the loop it is a bit more respectful than just giving him a handful of pills and saying take these! I do know that I cannot trust him anymore even to take stuff laid out in advance.

Buy yourself a 7 day AM PM pill box organizer. Set up the meds for the week putting the sleeping pill in the PM slot. Once the container is set up for the week put the bottles of pills in a safe place that only you know where they are. Then approach your Dad by saying "because you are worried that YOU might do something wrong this is the new routine you have come up with to help you. By making this about you instead of him he will most likely not take any offense to it or question it at all. I have been my Dad's primary care giver since 2012 and that is how I handle all situations with him. Explaining it to where he thinks he is doing something to help me works every time. I wish you strength and courage, those are the only two things that keep me going.

"The DOCTOR said to putyour medication in this pill organiser so HE can make sure it is working properly" then invest in the alarm pill box!!
PS. We "blame" the doctor for everything from taking a shower to drinking more water" when my dad questions it I tell him to call the office!!!!

Good point about the possible sharing, MCat.

Is this the only med he is running out of??
two things come to mind, is anyone having access to his meds, that might be popping one or two into their pocket to either help their sleep or sell
the other is, often as the senior person starts dropping off to sleep they forget what they have done and go take a second tablet. sleeping meds cause forgetfulness.. so a painful sit down and discussion needs to be had, and that you will give your father his meds to take daily, and he can take them when he wants to. do you have the medipak system where meds are put into bubble packs,?? that helps reduce the double take. Also if its a sleeping med, why is he needing it?? whats wrong with that hot cup of milky drink and a lavender pillow, or magnesium for the restless leg syndrome. Just something else to think of. Sleeping pills are not ideal in the elderly, often brings on sleep apnoea which puts more stress on lungs and heart then the kidneys and brain. I realise that it might be too late to stop them now, Good luck, its not going to be easy

How many are going astray? Because it could be that he's taking too many because they're not working very well and he's thinking "more is more"; it could be that he's becoming confused or forgetful; or it could be that they're fiddly little jobs and he's dropping them (do you ever find any when you're vacuuming, for example?). But that only deals with how alarming the situation potentially is; it doesn't affect the fact that you need to get your paws on this particular medication, at least. There could be various approaches.

1. Main force. Take the packet away and put it in a locked cabinet. Dispense as prescribed. When he argues, tell him his doctor told you you are responsible for this controlled medication and, hey, it's the law.

2. Offer to collect his prescriptions regularly from the pharmacy and proceed as above.

3. (I'd do this anyway, I think.) Ask him whether he is having more trouble than usual sleeping, or if he is in pain. With any luck, this might lead on to a broader discussion about his regimen which could help you come to a better arrangement with him about who takes charge. Added bonus: if he is having new or different problems they'll be brought to light.

4. If you're still not getting anywhere, grass him up to his GP - or, to put it less emotively, report your concerns. If a doctor is made aware that a patient is not able to handle medication safely, he or she cannot blithely continue the status quo and will have to help your father come up with a better solution.

Does your mother express any view about this, by the way, helpful or otherwise?

Forgetting whether or not a pill has been taken is common. People don't have to have dementia for this to happen.

I like the idea of the alarm pill box. There are several on the market so a Web search will bring up some choices. It's likely that he's not doing this on purpose, but that he's defensive because he doesn't want to admit he got confused or forgot. Parents often get defensive with their adult children - after all, they are the parent and it's uncomfortable to have your "kids" telling you what to do.

If a scheduled box of some type doesn't work, then you may have to have the doctor tell your dad that for this particular pill, since it's so easy to forget and take a second, he'll have to let you control it or he can't have it.

Your dad needs compassion but he also needs to have this situation figured out. Try to preserve his dignity if you can. If it's true addiction, then I think you'll have noticed him increasingly running more and more short. If that's the case, the doctor must be in on the decision of what to do.

Good luck with this.
Carol

You will benefit from getting permission signed by your parents to speak with their medical proessionals, as well as POA while they can still sign their name. We almost missed the opportunity with my Dad. We had to transfer the property to my mom ASAP so she could take care of it because she didn't even have a POA for Dad. Anyway, back to the topic, Love Tracy1968 suggestion for a locked dispenser. If you know when the medication "should" run out, by being in the loop,you can check the # of pills left (put a reminder on your email or phone.) Where I am, we have an online electronic medical record and can sign up to login and see everything regarding our parents, meds, renewals, lab tests/results, communicate with the MD, see when they have scheduled appts and everything. You might ask if there is something like that where you are.

I feel for you because it is a very difficult time you are in. With my MIL, she started dumping all her pills on the kitchen table and then 'getting confused'. Got really mad when I tried to help her put them back in the right bottles because they were HER pills, but in the end I took them away from her but it was absolutely necessary. Going under the guise that these where HER pills, I started dispensing them to her morning and night in a clear cup with a yellow sticky: MONDAY MORNING, MONDAY EVENING, TUESDAY MORNING, TUESDAY EVENING, and so on. For a while this worked but she never forgave me (it comes with the losing control syndrom even though it is in the best interests of the patient). As primary caretaker you are going to take a lot of hits. Bear with it and work the angles. You are going to have to slowly become the parent in this case. He is very lucky to have you there to help him through this period in his life.

BTW: I liked the idea of the locked dispenser that Tracy mentioned, but in the case of my MIL she absolutely refused to use it and threw it back at me. She wanted control and that was not acceptable.

I had the same problem with my father, you can by an alarm medication dispenser that is locked, so he can't over or under with the medicine. It is up to 2 weeks of medication at a time. I refill it every other Sunday for my father and have never had the problem again. I got mine off of amazon and it was around 40.00

When your parents moved in with you was it with the understanding that you would be their caregiver? If so, as their caregiver, it's good that you are aware of your dad's meds, when he takes them and how much he should take.

If your dad is running out of this med before the 30 days and you are aware of this then you can probably figure out that he's taking too many. Otherwise he wouldn't be running out too soon.

What does he do when he runs out? Not knowing what med you're talking about, is there withdrawl? Does his mood change? Does he get his refill the very second he is able to? Also, does this medication have refills or does the Dr. need to be contacted every 30 days for a new refill? Since you said it was a controlled substance I'm assuming the scrip doesn't have refills.

If you try to discuss this with him he will most likely deny it. Anyone who is abusing a prescription, when confronted, is not likely to say, "You're right, I'm taking too many."

Have you discussed this with your mom? What does she say?

Do you have POA? If so, you can call his Dr. and speak to him about this, figure out how to deal with this. If you don't have POA you can still alert the Dr. to this problem, the office just won't be able to discuss anything with you. But report it to the Dr. just the same.

Just know that it's not within your power to get your dad to stop abusing this med. And the more he takes the more he'll need to take, that's the cycle of addiction. I think the prescribing Dr. needs to be in on this and stop prescribing this medication and put your dad on a taper down dose. Don't take matters into your own hands by taking the medication away from him.

Your parents moved in with you so you can be their caregiver and part of being a caregiver is being an advocate for your loved one. If you can't confront your dad your only other choice is to do nothing. Your dad can't advocate for himself because he's becoming an addict, you'll have to do it for him. And if you can get your mom on board all the better.