Father in Law
My Father in Law is an alcoholic and has been for over 40 years. His drinking has recently gotton much worse. My Mother in Law passed away in August and since that time he is spiraling out of control. He is on pain medication, sleeping pills, depression medication, and anti-anxiety pills. Lately he has been halucinating about seeing people in his house. He is also falling down a lot, rambles when he talks, has trouble concentrating, etc. Basically I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what we as family members can do. We want to protect him from hurting himself or another person but everything we have read tells us that we can not do anything unless he agrees to get help. I have discussed his drinking with him and he says he wants to work on it himself, but it is not getting any better. We have found him on several occasions laying on the floor unable to get up. I am very concerned if he decides to drive when he is in that state of confusion. He is 67 years old. any suggestions I can get would be appreciated. I do not like the answer of letting him just drink himself to death with us not able to help.
Thank you
Father in Law
My Father in Law is an alcoholic and has been for over 40 years. His drinking has recently gotton much worse. My Mother in Law passed away in August and since that time he is spiraling out of control. He is on pain medication, sleeping pills, depression medication, and anti-anxiety pills. Lately he has been halucinating about seeing people in his house. He is also falling down a lot, rambles when he talks, has trouble concentrating, etc. Basically I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what we as family members can do. We want to protect him from hurting himself or another person but everything we have read tells us that we can not do anything unless he agrees to get help. I have discussed his drinking with him and he says he wants to work on it himself, but it is not getting any better. We have found him on several occasions laying on the floor unable to get up. I am very concerned if he decides to drive when he is in that state of confusion. He is 67 years old. any suggestions I can get would be appreciated. I do not like the answer of letting him just drink himself to death with us not able to help.
Thank you
I would strongly recommend contacting your Adult Protective Services agency. You can make a report and hopefully they will investigate. I say hopefully because if your FIL is not confused and knows he is making unsafe choices, then he has a right to do so.It can be a tricky, and frustrating thing. But if he is seeing things that aren't really there, then it sounds like he may not be thinking clearly right now.
If he is getting medication, he must be seeing a doctor. Can you contact the doctor, share your concerns and observations with him/her? If your FIL trusts his doctor, he may be willing to open up to him/her.
If you know he is under the influence-of alcohol or medications or both- and driving, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE!! You could be saving his life, and the life of innocent people on the road. Maybe that will be a wake up call that he needs help. Maybe write down his license plate number so that if you ever become aware of him driving when he shouldn't, you can call the police and have the information to give them.
Hopefully your FIL will accept help before its too late.
I would strongly recommend contacting your Adult Protective Services agency. You can make a report and hopefully they will investigate. I say hopefully because if your FIL is not confused and knows he is making unsafe choices, then he has a right to do so.It can be a tricky, and frustrating thing. But if he is seeing things that aren't really there, then it sounds like he may not be thinking clearly right now.
If he is getting medication, he must be seeing a doctor. Can you contact the doctor, share your concerns and observations with him/her? If your FIL trusts his doctor, he may be willing to open up to him/her.
If you know he is under the influence-of alcohol or medications or both- and driving, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE!! You could be saving his life, and the life of innocent people on the road. Maybe that will be a wake up call that he needs help. Maybe write down his license plate number so that if you ever become aware of him driving when he shouldn't, you can call the police and have the information to give them.
Hopefully your FIL will accept help before its too late.