Dementia and Taking Meds

Marjory has medications prescribed by her doctor that thin her blood, manage her blood pressure, address her pain, and support a healthy bladder.  Most of the time she takes her medications without fanfare.  If she is not well, she may clamp her mouth shut and say, “I’m not taking those.”  Sometimes she adds, “I’ve never needed those and I don’t now.” When in ill health, usually a Urinary Track Infection (UTI), it takes little to overwhelm and confuse.  I usually give her some crackers and milk with her medications, but if she refuses to take the meds, I bring on the big guns, often called cookies.  

Marjory cannot swallow the pills without chewing them up. That could be because her mind lacks an understanding of the process of swallowing, or it could be her muscles are weaker and it is difficult to swallow.  Whatever the reason, she crunches those pill up before they go down the hatch.  

Once in awhile, Marjory will chew and then take the larger pieces out of her mouth to discard.  If I can get her to take several bites of a cracker with the pills, it usually eliminates spitting those larger pieces out and she swallows them with the crackers and milk.  There are days she will not eat the crackers so I bring on the cookies.  Cookies work magic for a dementia patient just like they do for kids.  I try to keep special cookies on hand for just this purpose.

I have tried crushing the pills and stirring them up in her milk,  juice, and pudding, but so many pills cannot be crushed to powder.  The tiny bits are still there and  they often have a bad taste.  Also if they are crushed into food, I have to make sure she eats all of that food.  Some meds can be obtained in liquid form and she takes those easily with a chaser of milk.

Once in a while, Marjory simply refuses to take the meds and will not open her mouth.  Nothing I say or do will change her mind. Even cookies don’t work.  She will accept the cookie gratefully but no meds. I did go through a period when I worried about this.  I have since come to the conclusion that, if she refuses to take meds, I simply allow it.  I mean, what can you do?  Wrestle her to the floor and pry her mouth open?   I just put the pills back in the pill holder and hope she will take her meds later.  Sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn’t.    What I don’t do is get angry, demanding or raise my voice.  I don’t shame her, scold her, or try to explain why she needs to take them.  I just let it go.  

There will be a day when she is unable to take any meds. For now, as she is still capable, I provide wait time, good cookies, and tell her I will have to perform magic for her to open her mouth and swallow her pills.  I summon my inner Ali Baba and waving my magic wand say “Open sesame.”