It has been 10 months since I posted about Sister Caretaker keeping Brother Twin away from FIL. Since that time, even when she took him away to live on the other side of the state for six months and there was no contact with us, he continued to feed his own agitated and endless rantings against DH (Dear Husband) that he has always been prone to, without provocation, to the extent that he spent sleepless nights and anxiety-ridden days because of it.
S.C. reports that FIL had been threatening to send my dear husband to jail for stealing from him, in order to provide me, his spendthrift wife, with the rich life to which I was accustomed before I married D.H. over 40 years ago. (My parents would both laugh at that.) He accosted the neighbor who leases our farm ground and told him he wants to see his own signature on the lease agreement. (The agreement wasn't with him.) D.H. informed the neighbor that FIL should talk instead to D.H. about it. FIL has not brought the subject up again.
I have long thought FIL had at least a series of strokes causing vascular dementia and diminishing cognition, if not old age dementia or Alzheimer's. The paranoia about others stealing from him is a common behavior of those with dementia. We once discussed having him evaluated to consider having him declared mentally incompetent, so he could not be taken advantage of by anyone, for example, asking for money. This would have meant a legal process. Just having him take the usual battery of tests would most likely reveal profound enough problems that any exploitation of him could be brought into question. Sister Caretaker set up an appointment for him when he returned home. Sister Twin was invited as well.
In taking the famous psychometric and cognitive clock-drawing screening test, he drew a clock with two numbers on one side and ten on the other. This was in addition to the oral questions and answers, which, S.C. reports, demonstrate beyond doubt that he is profoundly incompetent. S.C. now estimates his real age to be that of a three-year-old. She asked for, and they prescribed, both depression and anxiety medication for him. She has begun administering it, but it will take several weeks to see what effect it will have.
In the meantime, S.C. is finally refusing to listen to his non-stop ranting. For several years she would simply insert her earbuds and listen to music, watch a movie, or read a book while he shouted and paced in fury, his hands balled into fists of rage. But allowing it to go on unchecked has not helped, and may have added to his inability to control his emotions. Now she tells him whenever he starts that she will simply not listen to him berate her brother. He must stop. And in many instances, he does stop.
S.C. reports that FIL had been threatening to send my dear husband to jail for stealing from him, in order to provide me, his spendthrift wife, with the rich life to which I was accustomed before I married D.H. over 40 years ago. (My parents would both laugh at that.) He accosted the neighbor who leases our farm ground and told him he wants to see his own signature on the lease agreement. (The agreement wasn't with him.) D.H. informed the neighbor that FIL should talk instead to D.H. about it. FIL has not brought the subject up again.
I have long thought FIL had at least a series of strokes causing vascular dementia and diminishing cognition, if not old age dementia or Alzheimer's. The paranoia about others stealing from him is a common behavior of those with dementia. We once discussed having him evaluated to consider having him declared mentally incompetent, so he could not be taken advantage of by anyone, for example, asking for money. This would have meant a legal process. Just having him take the usual battery of tests would most likely reveal profound enough problems that any exploitation of him could be brought into question. Sister Caretaker set up an appointment for him when he returned home. Sister Twin was invited as well.
In taking the famous psychometric and cognitive clock-drawing screening test, he drew a clock with two numbers on one side and ten on the other. This was in addition to the oral questions and answers, which, S.C. reports, demonstrate beyond doubt that he is profoundly incompetent. S.C. now estimates his real age to be that of a three-year-old. She asked for, and they prescribed, both depression and anxiety medication for him. She has begun administering it, but it will take several weeks to see what effect it will have.
In the meantime, S.C. is finally refusing to listen to his non-stop ranting. For several years she would simply insert her earbuds and listen to music, watch a movie, or read a book while he shouted and paced in fury, his hands balled into fists of rage. But allowing it to go on unchecked has not helped, and may have added to his inability to control his emotions. Now she tells him whenever he starts that she will simply not listen to him berate her brother. He must stop. And in many instances, he does stop.
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