Reference no: EM133832990

Question

Ethyl, a 79-year-old Irish American adult female, was brought to the emergency department by her husband. Her confusion anger, hallucinations, and obscene language were exasperating both her and her husband. Ethyl was in the waiting room, yelling at her husband, "You are trying to confuse me and put me away!" and banging her hands on the table. Her husband, who is in poor health with chronic cardiac history, said she has a recent history of paranoia. "She is going to put me in my grave with her up and down at night and turning on the stove." Ethyl's mother had early onset Alzheimer's, and he is afraid she is getting it, too. Lately, she was caught getting lost in the parking lot, sundown sleeping, and not showering on a regular basis. Ethyl and her husband have been married 55 years and never been away from each other. She and her husband have grown children, but they do not visit because they get upset with their mother and worry about their father's health.