Expert: Michalene Peticca - 3/30/2009

Question
I will try to keep this short.  My mother has been displaying symptoms of A.D. for the past few years.  She has shown extreme personality changes, inability to pay bills or work with numbers, irrational decisions, weight loss, daily hygiene has been abnormal...  She refuses to admit that anything is wrong with her.  I can't get her to go to the doctor.  She used to see him every three months for high blood pressure and cholesterol, but she no longer goes.  She also does not take her medications, and she has very high blood pressure.  Can you offer any suggestions?  I need to get her to a doctor and get a definite diagnosis.  She needs help because she is ruining everyones life.

Answer
Hello Alison,

It certainly sounds like there have been some dramatic changes with your mother over the last few years.  You are correct in worrying about her physical health.

She may be quite upset, but i would suggest taking her to your local hospital emergency room, explain the situation and let the doctors run tests, etc. from there.   I think you will find that this is a common occurrence in hospitals, especially when families are genuinely concerned about missed medications, high blood pressure, etc.  

It would be better to know if your mother's symptoms are a bi-product of her lack of medication regime or truly Alzheimer's.

Best of luck!
Michalene Peticca, MA