Hi,
Please can anyone advise me on how to deal with my fathers confusion.
When he gets confused do I correct him or do I agree. By going along with it, I feel that I am being dishonest with him.
He has rang me from hospital to say that he is staying in a hotel and he borrowed his car to someone but now they have stolen it. There was also lots more said. When I told him he was in hospital, he got annoyed with me. To try and reason with him I asked him the name of the hotel, he said he didnt know. So I asked was there any signage? He then quoted the name of the hospital he is at. I proceeded to point out that he just told me the name of the hospital he was at. He got so annoyed with me, this is not in my fathers nature and I do understand the affects of his illness are having on his mental state and that things are likely to get much worse.
I just want to do the right thing by him. He practiced in the Mental health profession for many years, during which time I took an interest in how to deal with people suffereing with mental health issues, but I find myself lost due to the emotional attachment.
There is no underlying infection etc and he is currently on no medication. He has end stage cancer. Bowel, lungs and kidney. His mind is so strong though. Only yesterday when I was with him, he acknowledged that he was getting confused and was terminally ill. This is the first time he has done this since he was first diagnosed 4 years ago. He has fought a magnificant fight through rounds and rounds of chemo and alternative therapies - and has done it all on his own believing he would win. I am so proud of him and love him so much, and only want to do the right thing by him now, and support him the best way through thing with the dignity and poise he has always maintained and shown to his service users.
Please can someone advise, is it better to correct him or go along with what he believes to be true?