Mother with Dementia in care home to be administered drugs which we know will have side effects. Our wishes being overriden

[kenwood]

Around 7 years ago my mother was feeling unwell and had a slight tremor, her GP latched on to the idea she had uti and kept prescribing antibiotics.  This caused huge problems in her health and brought on non-epileptic seizures which she did not have before. Shortly later my mother had a heart attack so clearly her tremor was due to her feeling unwell in the run up to her heart attack.

 

Needless to say they totally missed the signs that she had a heart condition.  The non epileptic seizures remained for quite some time.  We didn't understand what was happening and took her to so many specialists for a diagnosis and to help cure her from it, which we did eventually but it was a long haul.

 

My mother now has dementia and is in a care home funded by our borough. Currently the dr affiliated to the care home is insisting they administer memantine which is a drug which supposedly slows down dementia.  My mother took a small dose for about a week and gradually the tremors began again - we know this is the beginning of the non-epileptic seizures so we asked that they take her off the drug. 

 

This dr is obsessed with memantine and wants to force my mother to have it, even though she is aware of the side effects.  they held a meeting with the person at our borough handling my mother's care and between them they decided it would be in her best interest to administer memantine.  They are relying on the Mental Capacity Act. None of our concerns were taken into consideration.

 

We do not have a LPA in place.

 

We do not know what to do next to prevent this travesty taking place. It's as if they are willing to sacrifice all other aspects of my mother's health, perhaps even her life for the sake of giving her memantine. 

 

Where do we stand and what can we do to prevent this?  

Edited January 27, 2022 by dx100uk
added a few blank lines only - dx

[Homer67]

I think you're going to need a lawyer and a court order, I'd be looking into that immediately.

[honeybee13]

That's worth a try, Homer, I agree.

 

kenwood, you could also try talking to AgeUK or one of the Alzheimers or dementia charities for advice.

 

HB