Im a carer who looks after an eldery old women.
She is increasingly starting to show the symptoms of demetia, like forgetting present events but remebering past events, great changes in her personality and terrible mood swings, being unable to recognise the feelings of others, and often getting agressive.
Im faced with the moral dilemma, should I mention this to her children who will arrange for her to see a specialist, but if the diagnosis is wrong, I face upsetting her terribly and causing unecesarry stress.
On the other hand I feel bad avoiding this issue, as a carer what should I do?
2006-12-17 00:54:11 · 7 answers · asked by Anria A 5 in Health ➔ Mental Health
You should tell them that she is showing personality changes and forget fullness and needs to be evaluated by a physician to find the cause.
The physician is unlikely to pick up on the problem in such a short visit, so they need to be told what is happening, but do not offer any diagnosis of your own. Stick with a description of symptoms.
And she will know and be distressed by the A word - so don't use it around her. Old people fear getting Alzheimer's and do not forget what it is until they are very advanced. Matter of fact, even if she does get diagnosed with it, you should call it "memory problems" with her.
2006-12-17 01:01:44 · answer #1 · answered by oohhbother 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Relate the information to the kin, no longer a prognosis. Strongly propose she see a known practitioner and allow the final practitioner make a prognosis. you'd be off the hook, and not in any respect be "practise medicine", yet you're in a particular position to help this woman no matter if that is Alzheimer's, as there are drugs to help many sorts of dementia. BTW Alzheimer's can in effortless words be shown after an post-mortem, i believe.
2016-11-27 00:03:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well ya you could be wrong, but it is best to tell them what you think she may have. So they can get their mother check out, and rule it out. It is better to be safe then sorry. So go ahead and tell them what you are concerned about, and what you think she has, and let them take it from there. Cause if she has it , it is better to know now, and get her the treatment she needs. You may find that they thank you for it, even if she does not have it. It shows how much you do care about the person you are taking care of.
2006-12-17 01:25:10 · answer #3 · answered by Ladyofathousandfaces 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a carer it is your duty to do the best you can for her.You must tell her family,Alzheimer's can be slowed down with the right medication.If the problem is something else like depression she will still need help.Ignoring this won't make it go away.Do the right thing!
2006-12-17 00:59:26 · answer #4 · answered by New Boots. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a caregiver it is your duty to inform her family of your findings and suspicions. It seems at this point that you will not cause your client to suffer any stress or upsets as she will probably not remember much of what is happening to her during testing. The doctors can sedate her to ease any discomfort (emotionally and physically). It's a tough choice no doubt, but it is the right thing to do. The family will be grateful for your insight and caring.
2006-12-17 00:58:49 · answer #5 · answered by Decoy Duck 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Don't say the "A" word. Just tell them what she's doing and gently suggest seeing a doctor.
2006-12-17 00:57:11 · answer #6 · answered by ckm1956 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
burn them at the stake. if their skin melts, then they are ok.
2006-12-17 00:56:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋