worrygirl

I posted a few days ago about my elderly father and my worry about him always ending up in the ER, driving drunk etc. Well.... Sunday night I was at a concert with my daughter ( I never go out and do anything as I'm constantly worried that the hospital will call and I'll have to be there, but my daughter wanted to go and I bought the tickets 7 months in advance). When we were sitting waiting for the show to start, I get a call. The number looks familiar and I.... don't answer it. It's like I went into panic mode and was just paralyzed. I'm 2 hours away from home now and couldn't get there if I wanted to. My SIL calls then and the hospital called my brother (who, since his wife was home, was somewhat sober). Thank goodness! So they ended up getting him, which I'm grateful (he doesn't do much for me since he's never sober himself.) 7 stitches in my dad's head as he fell at the bar again, black eye, bruised up knee. So the next day my husband went with me to talk to him yet again about not having the car any longer and going into assisted living. Well, he agreed. Now, he agrees each time and then the next day says he's not doing it. Well he ended up telling a family friend when she phoned him last night that I want him to go to an "old folks home", but that I am right, it's time.
My question is.... do I need to wean him off? He only drinks wine. He has about 4-6 glasses a day now. But since he's 88 his body is not processing this alcohol correctly. This for 40 years. So no hard liquor etc. He's broken ribs, back, brain bleed etc. Each time at the hospital he's probably been given something to help with withdrawls. A few weeks ago he did not have a car as I took it and he did not drink anything for 7 days and seemed ok. Last year he broke his back and did not have a car for about 2months and didn't drink. No visible shaking and never complained. I really do not want to give him any if I don't have to. But I don't know how this works. I don't want him to feel horrible either.
Thank you in advance. I am taking him today to an asst living by my house for an assessment. I feel cautiously optimistic. Still full of anxiety but a bit hopeful. Thank you for your help. It's really nice to be able to talk about this with people who understand.

JD

Talk to the assisted living dr/nurse about your concerns. They can keep an eye on him and administer drugs if the detox gets dangerous.