People are developing dementia earlier and dying of it more, a study shows (Much more so in USA)

[hollysmom]

39. we were losing my father that way as well but then!

Talking to my mother, something rang untrue, so I had my father enroll in a program where they evaluated him and it turned out the doctor was overdosing him with medication - 7 times what he should have been taking and it was giving him delusions and weird hallucinations. His doctor resented it, and I could not get Dad to change doctors, so I tried to keep an eye on what was prescribed to him after that. One day he gave a touching tribute to his children because he knew his mind was clear, but when his disease (Parkinson's) advanced so his life had little value - turning to stone, he took an overdose of his blood pressure pills to kill himself, we found he him before he died and he begged us not to call an ambulance, he wanted to die with dignity. He could barely see to read, and had to wear diapers and needed a wheel chair to get around, when he was put in bed, it took an hour for his body to straighten out to go to sleep. He would not let my mother to hire anyone to help, so the burden of taking care of him was on her. I still can't believe she could carry him when she was in her late 70's but she said you do what you have to do.

Still, at least him mind was clear in the end.