Helping my grandma in her 70s understand her new medicatication...

[bronson]

To make a long story as short as possible, my grandfather has been in poor health for some time with kidney failure. This needless to say has taken a toll on my grandmother and she has fallen in to depression and frequent anxious feelings.

At her latest doctors appt yesterday she was Rx'd Citalopram. She's having a hard time understanding it and what it does. I've tried explaining to her what an SSRI is, and that it could take a couple weeks for side effects to fade, and for a benefit to be felt.

They put her on a 10mg per day dose which seems correct for an elderly individual. I just want to know if anyone has advice for how I can put things into more understandable terms for her. I really think this is something she needs and will benefit from, so I don't want her to become discouraged by it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[herbavore]

I don't know what the particular services are in your area but here we have a particular part of our Social Services department that is specifically for Seniors; a call to them may point you in the direction of an occupational therapist or some other life-skills social worker that could talk to your grandmother about her medications as well as what else is going on in her life. You could try calling her doctor directly as well and telling the office that you think your grandmother needs to have more support from them concerning her medications. Tell them what you have said here--it's clear and I would hope they would respond.

Also, ask your grandmother if she would feel comfortable having you or someone else accompany her to her doctor appointments if you don't already do that.

 

[SineWaveSoldier]

My mom works in social services for the elderly. Yeah in the US there is defanately assistance with mental issues available. It isn't perfect cause its our govt. But there are people there for this type of thing.
Its different from state to state and county to county evem

 

[iLoveYouWithaKnife]

^All those ideas are great.
But I would also recommend that you just keep on top of it, and make sure that she does keep taking it as the doctor prescribed until it fully starts to work, and also note any side effects, whether bad or good so you can discuss with the doctor. These kind of medications weren't always around so it's hard for elderly people to understand them because there was no such thing as they were growing up.

 

[bronson]

Thank you all very much for the great advice thus far. After I get out of my early A.M. appointment tomorrow to have my knee looked at by a specialist, I'm going to be going to her house for the day. I'll be sure to discuss these ideas with her, and see if she is receptive to any of them. I hope so.

 

[ugly]

My mom is in her 70s, my dad his 80s.

They get increasingly at peace with their increasing lack of understanding. My dad's attitude is basically "fuck it" although he doesn't swear.

My mom is so depressed she's been trying to kill herself with her drugs and her alcohol for at least the last two years.

When my mom gets a new prescription and doesn't know what's going on with it. I translate it into something she understands. I say things like "remember when I would get a tummy ache and you would have me lay down on my stomach on top of a pillow to help rid my body of the farts and the cramps that go with them"... I tell her that story.

Then I tell her the new prescription will help alleviate her discomfort, just like when I was a baby and she laid me down over her lap on my tummy to help get the gas out of my stomach. My mom's mom (my grandma) used to put chewing tobacco in her lip to ease tooth ache pain. She had 10 children and no prenatal care. Her teeth were weakened a little more with each kid. She didn't have a dentist. They were complete hillbillies, raising tobacco for a living, with no electricity or running water.

If you can talk to her and ask her what were some of the best and successful remedies available when she was in her 20's, and make a good analogy to the citalopram, she will understand it.

 

[Pariahprose]

The simplest thing for anyone to do when getting prescribed a new medication is to call and speak with a pharmacist. Even if she does not necessarily understand the information that the pharmacist is giving her, she will get comfort from hearing the information from a certified and licensed pharmacist. They will be able to answer almost any of her questions concerning the medicine in a lot quicker, more precise, and professional manner that what you could (no offense btw). And if they don't know the answer, they will look it up for you. Its their quick, precise, professional demeanor that will help her if not understand the new medicine, to at least be comfortable taking. It is good to know what you are taking and what its effects are, but with new medications especially with the elderly, it might be more important to put their trust in their doctors and pharmacist than to know the nitty gritty of their meds. But they should definitely ask their pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects develop!!!

Pariahprose

 

[mindsnare]

^^^ what pariahprose said!!
Pharmacists have a great wealth of knowledge and advice.
Pharmacists generally have more time then to sit down and answer all your questions. Plus elderly people do tend to have faith in professional opinions and will listen and obey!

She's lucky to have a lovely grandchild like you, keep her busy and active as much you can.

All the best