Brother in law refuses to listen to suggestions for her or stop her driving. Help. Mother in law last week broke shoulder due to fall. She claims she slipped in wet place, Her finances are a mess due to buying "cancer cures", and other herbs and magazines for health cure quackery, which one doctor said she shouldn't take with prescribed meds. Brother in law refuses to take them away. She thinks homeless people were sleeping in her locked car. At one point she changed chimney lines (over $300 each time), swore that she "smelled" carbon monoxide, just as she smelled it in my home, other sons home, and cars. HELP!
As for her broken shoulder, the hospital or urgent care center will only take an x-ray... yep, shoulder is broken... put her into a sling, and send her home with the recommendation she see an Orthopedic doctor [hopefully she has scheduled one]. I am into my second month and have only one major exercise to do, plus when I am sitting down watching TV to loosen the sling and let my arm drop down so not to cause the elbow to freeze. All in all, it has been quite painful, and not much sleep. Dressing and showering is a royal pain, wonder how she is coping with that.
I am curious why you wrote "claims she slipped in wet place".... falling on pavement at her age will cause serious injury to a bone as when we age our bones become more brittle. Recently I took a tumble in a parking lot, broke my shoulder and I am 20 years younger than your Mom-in-law. Make sure your Mom-in-law is wearing sensible shoes because part of my fall had to do with the sandals I was wearing.
As for your Mom-in-law roaming through magazines for health cures, why not locate a doctor who is not only board-certified interest but also board-certified in holistic or eastern medicine.... that way she has the best of both worlds for her individual needs.
What part does BIL play in her care? Is he/his wife POA? Are you? Someone needs to be so they can get on her checking account as POA *have to do this in person* and take the checkbook!
My mother went through a phase where she would smell things or feel things. She would call repair people to do things. She would never believe me when I said that all was okay. On some occasions I called in other family members so that the men and boys could tell her that all was okay. It would satisfy her, at least for a while.
Is someone providing an alternate form of transportation for her so she doesn't need to drive? It is important to get the car away from her if she is not competent. You may have to alert Public Safety that she needs to be retested. They can take her license away, so you will not be the bad guy.
Is someone with her during the day? I wondered if assisted living would be a good option for her if she is alone very much. It sounds like she needs help.