Alcohol to Alcoholic

[JasonKal]

After two heart attacks and one stroke that left my father paralyzed on the left side of his body, he ended up at his house in FL. His care giver, his somewhat new girlfriend, is feeding him alcohol knowing he's an alcoholic and knowing the drinking is the primary case of all the major health issues he's had. He's now back in the ICU with a few major issues. Is the care giver, his GF legally responsible in anyway? Negligence? Anything? Thanks

 

[Proserpina]

After two heart attacks and one stroke that left my father paralyzed on the left side of his body, he ended up at his house in FL. His care giver, his somewhat new girlfriend, is feeding him alcohol knowing he's an alcoholic and knowing the drinking is the primary case of all the major health issues he's had. He's now back in the ICU with a few major issues. Is the care giver, his GF legally responsible in anyway? Negligence? Anything? Thanks

Did she force him to drink it? No, I'm not being snarky - it's a legitimate question. In other words, is he capable of making his own decisions?

 

[Just Blue]

After two heart attacks and one stroke that left my father paralyzed on the left side of his body, he ended up at his house in FL. His care giver, his somewhat new girlfriend, is feeding him alcohol knowing he's an alcoholic and knowing the drinking is the primary case of all the major health issues he's had. He's now back in the ICU with a few major issues. Is the care giver, his GF legally responsible in anyway? Negligence? Anything? Thanks

Take over the health care of your dad.

 

[Proserpina]

Take over the health care of your dad.

Valid option!

But, OP, you have to understand that an alcoholic must want to stop. If he doesn't want to stop, or doesn't want to but will to keep family members happy, sobriety will likely remain elusive at best.

 

[JasonKal]

Question

If I give a gun to someone who is suicidal, am I at all responsible?

 

[Proserpina]

If I give a gun to someone who is suicidal, am I at all responsible?

Are you going to be this obtuse from hereon out?

If so, please do let me know. I can be watching the Crimson Tide instead. Thanks so much.

 

[JasonKal]

??

Do people just post here for the sake of posting? Is it not a valid question? Yes, he's of sound mind but anyone who understands addiction, knows it's a disease and he cannot control himself. If it's given to him, he will drink it. He's also extremely wealthy and the GF or "care giver" may not have his best interests at heart. This is a serious question. Literally life or death and I'm looking for a legit legal response from someone who can speak intelligently about the subject. I can't find any examples of this anywhere. Thanks again.

 

[anearthw]

There is no law against enabling consenting adults of sound mind. He is allowed to drink himself to death, and for her to help him do it by furnishing the alcohol. Sorry, it is upsetting for you, but he is one of millions who make this choice each day.

 

[Just Blue]

If I give a gun to someone who is suicidal, am I at all responsible?

That would depend.

 

[JasonKal]

Does it or would it make a difference if he's also being given medication that strictly forbids the use of alcohol while taking it? It seems to me that the care giver should be legally prevented from doing anything that would obviously cause him harm even if he's okay with it. Isn't that why Dr assisted suicides are illegal?

 

[anearthw]

Does it or would it make a difference if he's also being given medication that strictly forbids the use of alcohol while taking it? It seems to me that the care giver should be legally prevented from doing anything that would obviously cause him harm even if he's okay with it. Isn't that why Dr assisted suicides are illegal?

A kinda-caregiver/girlfriend is not held to the same standard as a physician.

 

[Proserpina]

Do people just post here for the sake of posting? Is it not a valid question? Yes, he's of sound mind but anyone who understands addiction, knows it's a disease and he cannot control himself. If it's given to him, he will drink it. He's also extremely wealthy and the GF or "care giver" may not have his best interests at heart. This is a serious question. Literally life or death and I'm looking for a legit legal response from someone who can speak intelligently about the subject. I can't find any examples of this anywhere. Thanks again.

Okay.

(you're now speaking with someone who still battles to remain sober on some days - so let's not pretend that I don't know that particular demon very well, hmm?)

You're talking about two entirely different things.

Suicide, by its very nature, requires an intent and a desire to die. In your example we have a person who has expressed a desire to end their life and you've gone along and helped them with it. The legalities can be quite complex, as they would be for any person who helps someone to commit suicide.

Drinking after you've been told not to isn't quite the same thing. It's the rare alcoholic who actually and actively wants to die - at least as far as legalities go (it could be argued that they know that they're killing themselves ergo they're suicidal but it's a nebulous argument at best). Further, in your own words, he cannot control his drinking and this only serves to reinforce the notion that he's actually NOT suicidal by any means.

It does however seem that at least the cards are on the table and the real reason for posting is now clear.

Peace out.

 

[Proserpina]

Does it or would it make a difference if he's also being given medication that strictly forbids the use of alcohol while taking it? It seems to me that the care giver should be legally prevented from doing anything that would obviously cause him harm even if he's okay with it. Isn't that why Dr assisted suicides are illegal?

No and no.

Think about the underlined a bit more.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Do people just post here for the sake of posting? Is it not a valid question? Yes, he's of sound mind but anyone who understands addiction, knows it's a disease and he cannot control himself. If it's given to him, he will drink it. He's also extremely wealthy and the GF or "care giver" may not have his best interests at heart. This is a serious question. Literally life or death and I'm looking for a legit legal response from someone who can speak intelligently about the subject. I can't find any examples of this anywhere. Thanks again.

He's of sound mind.

He chooses to keep his GF around - he chooses not to break up with her.

So, unless she's disguising the alcoholic beverages as something else and fooling him into drinking, then ya got nuthin'.

Is is *icky* when the caregiver becomes the love interest of her (wealthy) employer? Um, yeah. But you have not indicated that she is some sort of professionally trained caregiver subject to some sort of code of ethics, etc.

 

[CdwJava]

After two heart attacks and one stroke that left my father paralyzed on the left side of his body, he ended up at his house in FL. His care giver, his somewhat new girlfriend, is feeding him alcohol knowing he's an alcoholic and knowing the drinking is the primary case of all the major health issues he's had. He's now back in the ICU with a few major issues. Is the care giver, his GF legally responsible in anyway? Negligence? Anything? Thanks

Was there a physicians plan of care that she was obligated to follow? Understand, that even if there was, he could still choose to disregard that plan. If dad chooses to consume alcohol then he has that legal right. Clearly it is self destructive behavior, but, until a court deems him unfit to make his own decisions with regard to what he eats or drinks, then he is free to drink what he wishes to - including the alcohol.

As was mentioned, if the caregiver is feeding him the alcohol without his knowledge, THAT can be a different story and would likely be a crime. But, you have provided no indication that this surreptitious activity is occurring.

I wish you luck, and I hope that your dad can get some counseling on his alcoholism before it is too late.