Michelle, he might be eligible for short-term in-home PT [per Medicare] if he has been recently hospitalized or has a new diagnosis or an exacerbation of an existing one.

Gee, it is really too bad, Michelle, that the next time you are at the doctor's you are in a big hurry and can't stop at the drug store. You'll have to pick the pain pills up later. I know what you mean about your dad "insisting" but you are the driver and he can't control this without your cooperation.

Get control of the pain pills. Discuss with his doctor whether he is supposed to take them on a set schedule or "as needed" and if the latter, how many per day is the maximum. Give your dad enough each day for one day. If it turns out that isn't enough, he can discuss it with the doctor.

My bipolar brother is abusing pain medication. He lives alone and is (theoretically at least) "competent" and his four sisters are beside ourselves trying to figure out how to help him. We feel his quality of life would improve and he could handle his other issues better if this one wasn't interfering. So maybe I am overreacting about your Dad based on recent frustration in my own family. If the shoe doesn't fit, feel free to toss it out! If you are worried about possible pain pill abuse, consider taking advantage of your position of control.

Best wishes to you as you struggle with this very frustrating situation!

(And I hope you can arrange in-home PT.)

Michelle,
Just wondering if a timer might not help with the pain meds, most pain meds are every 4-6 hours and it might lessen his anxiety which of course doesn't help his illness any ! Just a thought!

Michelle,

I suggest you change the PT to in-home PT right away. Ask the neurologist for a referral. You can discuss the qualifications with a home health agency. They'll send out an RN to do an evaluation. Perhaps ask the out-patient PT if she has a recommendation for a home health agency with a good in-home PT.

About the meds...perhaps you can lie and say the pharmacy called and they've had to back-order the pain meds. Or perhaps the MD can write the prescription in such a way that your father is not legally allowed to pick them up.

Robin

Hi. I don't know if you have resolved this issue or not, but while I was reading the posts under this subject, it reminded me so much of the problems that I was having with my mother while she was living with me. In her case (she calls them pain medications) the drugs were benzodiasipines. She had become very addicted to them (took them like candy - I have no idea where she got so many). After she moved out of my house and into a residential independent living place, she was still abusing the drugs (no nurse to dispense) and when the issue came up that she was going to have to live in Assisted Living because of the medications, she found a device called an automated pill dispenser. She showed me one that another woman in independent living had. It was actually pretty cool and might help you. Like your dad, my mom feels absolutely insecure without having control over her meds. I have replaced slowly what she controls from benzos and stalevo to tylenol and finally to stress pastilles (something she can suck on, but is pretty harmless). The nurses now dispense all of her real drugs (told her it was required by law - and it may be). If she hadn't moved to Assisted Living, I think I would have tried one of these automated pill dispensers (the one I saw in the woman's room was a Philips' brand). You load the pills and then they are locked in the device. It works by dispensing the pills at the set times to the person (who can't get to them otherwise). They machine calls or e-mails you if the person actually doesn't remove the medication from the dispenser (so if you aren't there and worried about the person you are caring for getting a critical medication) or if it is out of medication. Anyway - good luck figuring this one out. Liz

That sounds like a great gadget!

Liz,
I actually just looked into these devices last night. Think I'm going to get one. I hadn't read your post. Actually, I had called the alzheimers hotline and they suggested it. Wonderful idea! Could solve alot of problems.

Michelle

Let us know if it works. I didn't really see it as feasible for my mom since much of her problem is an addiction to anti-anxiety medications. She would still be demanding them and probably would break the machine to get to them. I think it would work for someone who is simply forgetting about if and when he/she took her/his medications. Good luck.
Liz