[jcmhn]

> Oh, and she refuses to take her medication because she’s convinced that they will ruin her liver.

Until fairly recently doctors had no idea how to measure minimum effective doses of lithium, so many older people with bipolar disorder are suffering damage to their liver, kidneys, and thyroid. Mental health practitioners also used haldol and thorazine with a pretty loose hand - without worrying about side effects or toxicity.

So realize that she has a reason to believe that her meds are bad for her - because they are, they are just better for her than going un-medicated. Her doctor or social worker should probably be the one to explain to her the kind of testing and monitoring they do to make sure that they do as little damage as possible.