Had the same problem with mum before she went into the NH. Mum was very much a ‘glass at Christmas’ lady. However when she was still able to go out on her own she started buying bottles and bottles of wine, drinking it all in one go, and getting herself into a right state, falling etc.
I contacted her Consultant about it, because whilst I had no problem with mum getting 3 sheets to the wind, she was hurting herself, and did become very very aggressive, well more than usual since the start of her AD. He suggested to me that it was sort of child like behaviour, in as much as she liked it, and didn’t want to share it, so polished off the whole flipping lot. At family gatherings, she would down a glass in one go, and ask for another, keeping her eye on the bottle to see how much was left, and who was getting a share, so I guess the doc had a point. But who really knows, may have been that, may not have been.
We basically got very devious, my bro used to keep a supply of alcohol free wine in his car. He used to visit mum every day, and simply swap over the bottles!! At family gatherings it didn’t matter is she got plastered because we could take care of her, put her to bed, and let her sleep it off.
Since she’s been in the NH she hasn’t once asked for a drink, and in fact, when we take her out she asks for orange juice. So in mum’s case it was just one of ‘those phases’.
Love
Cate
