Looking for Elder Care

sundayzchilde

I am urgently seeking advice for care for an elderly relative who is suffering from delusions (mostly auditory). They have been to their GP but it wasn't taken as seriously as it should have been, and the delusions are getting worse, rapidly. They are lucid and fairly able to mind themselves, but the delusions are constant and upsetting to them and to us.

I can't seem to find any information online about how to help them, where to take them, or how to go about it.

I know we could take them to A&E, but they really mightn't want to go, and forcing someone into these things seems so hard and hopefully unnecessary.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

sundayzchilde

sundayzchilde wrote: »

<Snip> No need to quote entire post.

I would definitely try a different GP before going the A & E route.

The Black Oil

Moved from Psychology - PI charter now applies.

Maybe Hearing Voices Ireland can help. http://www.voicesireland.com

Big Bag of Chips

Go back to that GP or a new GP and ask for a referral to a geriatrician. If the GP has seen them fairly recently they might just do a referral letter without having to go back in and see them.

Wesser

Psych of old age your best bet.
Do you really feel it is an emergency that warrants a visit to the emegency room?

snowbabe

I've had a bit of experience personally with A and E all in the past year including physc problems . I can't give you medical advice but I've had to change doctors to get the help I need . A and E is quite distressing in normal circumstances and off the scale in situations like you describe . If your family member is female maybe a nice GP who is female would help as your first port of call and you need to be very vocal that you need immediate help . They are fantastic in A and E but be prepared to stay with your relative as they couldn't be left alone . I feel very sorry for you but couldn't just pass this post by .

qwerty13

Get in touch with your local public health nurse. They probably won’t have the authority to allocate resources to your relative, but getting your relative ‘into the system’ is very important in terms of getting resources / home help.

Hard to say more without knowing specific circumstances, but you need be prepared for a fight to get what your relative needs. It’s so difficult. Get support if you can at all. It’s not an easy road.

sundayzchilde

Wesser wrote: »

Psych of old age your best bet.
Do you really feel it is an emergency that warrants a visit to the emergency room?

The delusions are so bad my relative has called the police twice, to deal with hallucinated threats that they will be killed, so yes, we are very very worried. We don't want to go to A&E, knowing how upsetting it can be for anyone, delusions or no delusions, but it is so difficult to find another way without going through a rather flippant-about-the-whole-situation GP.

alibab

Where are you based can you bypass gp and get your relative to see a consultant that specializes in the area of dealing with the elderly. Sometimes delusions can be the early stages of Demetia if there has been no previous history of psych issues in the past .

You need a new gp and insist on a referral to psychiatrist urgently as your relative comes up do vastly improve with the right treatment and medication.

snowbabe

If your GP or the family members GP is flippant it's time you changed them as that's just not good enough. Bring them to your own GP . As poster above has said there could be a few reasons for these hallucinations. A phone call to the public nurse may help give you advice but they are very stretched and might take a week to get to you . Is there even a different GP in the same practise ? I switched to a female doctor in the practise and have been delighted with her , she's so on the ball and very aware as compared to the much older doctor mine had . The elderly don't like change though , it's small battles all the time . I really feel for you and hope you've support from other family members ,ask them about their GP and make appointment asap

orthsquel

I don't know the extent of services offered but you could maybe try contacting ALONE who may have experience in this area, for some advice and guidance or practical advise information for family members? They have an online form where you get submit that for advice and information for an elderly person you know.

I would suggest you don't go to A&E unless you have exhausted every other avenue. Even if you get referred to A&E by a GP - colleague of mine was referred by GP to A&E and had a 12 hour wait, another colleague of mine was also referred by GP to A&E, had tests done for a complaint but did nothing other than confirm what was already known and sent them home with prescription for painkillers after an equally long wait. A&E will be nothing but a distressing time for your elderly relative with a long wait with nothing to gain from it.

I would encourage to go to another GP, your own, anyone but her GP. Engage with other services if at all possible with the agreement of the GP instead of being sent to A&E, look for community options instead.

sundayzchilde

Thanks all for the advice. We're going to the GP again and also looking for a different one. Much appreciated.