My mom is currently in the hospital. She fell at home and according to her, she was on the floor all night until she called my daughter and we showed up with the paramedics who then took her to emergency. My mother had her life alert button around her neck but didn't press the button. She will not lice with me, refuses care in her home and will not go to assisted living. She is ninety years old and about two months ago became incredibly paranoid, initially accusing me of stealing and calling the police and lawyers on me. Now she believes that I am trying to kill her and the I, my children, the doctors and nurses, etc. Are all in a "killing cult" and are trying to get her. She wouldn't take her meds the other day thinking they were poisoned and yesterday she threw her liquid for her abdominal ct on the floor, also claiming that it was poison. She keeps asking me how long she has and about her funeral. She asks the nurses to just give her the shot to end her life quickly. My mother knows the usual questions such as the date, place, president, etc. And has passed a psych evaluation. Her primary doctor, who is also her cardiologist said that she was "totally off the walk bonkers" which I thought was a very poor choice of words, but does behavior like this suddenly come on or could it be the beginning of Alzheimer's or dementia? I have had her tested for a uti, had a brain MRI and ct which all showed nothing. Would it benefit her to get a neurological consult while she is in the hospital (she was admitted because her sodium was critically low...now it is better but she is still very paranoid)?
Carol