My father lives in Florida with my sister. He is 84 years old and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. He is very depressed. He refuses to see a psychiatrist, because he thinks his children want him declared incompetent. My sister has no control over him and has no way of making him see a psychiatrist if he refuses. What could my sister do? At times he gets very agitated and violent. He goes to a senior center and has prohibited my sister from telling them that he has A.D. He has also prohibited her from telling any of his other children. My sister told me without his knowledge. I don't know if I am asking for an answer to an impossible situation. My sister is afraid he will do something foolish like get married to a stranger and that he will be taken advantage of in regards to his money.

One of the options I discussed with my sister is finding a geriatrician to evaluate his needs. Would a geriatrician be able to prescribe psychotropic medications for anxiety and depression? Because his M.D. gave him prescriptions for starter doses but referred him to a Psychiatrist in order to have him stabilized on medications.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Norma