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Parent away from home and away from spouse
My dad is now living with my sister in Arizona because she is able to care for him. My mother is back in their permanent home in St. Louis, Missouri. It’s difficult for them to be apart, but my sisters want to limit the communication between them because my dad gets irritated and it makes him want to go home or talk about…
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Update on Mom in AL
It has now been about 2 months since she has been in AL, and 10 weeks since she broke her wrist. The bones are officially healing. She asks almost every visit when she will move back to IL. She is playing bridge once a week (kudos to the rec director who started it as an official activity - after a few weeks it whittled…
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New here
My mom was diagnosed just this year. I think she's in the early stages of Alzheimer's. But seems to be progressing unfortunately! My brother and I are the only children from my parents. My dad is the primary caretaker for my mom considering they live together. My brother lives next door and I live an hour away. My brother…
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DPOA
I went with my mother to her follow up after starting Aricept. The neurologist confirmed an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, which I’d put together, but it wasn’t in writing on the test results I’d seen. Its in early stages and my mom is very able at this point, although I’ve noticed she does better focusing on one thing at a time…
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Methazolamide
Has anyone tried Methazolamide yet and has any experience to share?
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Medicare Discharge,observation status & representative status: advise & help video
[also posting in Caregivers & Spouse/parents sections] After a call with Medicare that, shall we say, didn't go as expected I researched to plan my next steps and found this video. There is a no-cost CMS Medicare service called : qio = quality improvement organization that is supplied [as of the video date 2020] by two…
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Psych Hospitals, Confidentiality, and Need for Legal Guardianship?
Writing this in part to help others prepare and understand the situations you can end up in due to lack of preparation. Also, to ask for advice. My parent was admitted to a (very well known) psych hosp. They were transferred from another area hospital. I have been their sole caretaker for the last eight months. I took my…
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Narcissists , before & after dementia ...
I recall a number of posters mentioning that their parent , now with dementia , was cold and a narcissist even before the disease manifested . By accident I came across this interview on narcissists . Who knew how many flavors there are! It's a real ketchup factory. I found it interesting that one of the ways to deal with…
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Dad continues to be ready to move out of MC plus staffing changes
Hi Community, Dad continues to talk about moving out. The difference I see now is that he is not only packing up and talking about it like before. Now he puts his jacket on and starts carrying his things to the MC door. The time it was most escalated a staff member was able to redirect him into his room to show her the…
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Who else just misses their (still-living) parent?
I miss my dad. I miss being able to call him just to talk about whatever is on the top of my mind at that moment, or ask his opinion about something — anything. But especially being able to ask for his advice about life or what to do while trying to navigate this world. I miss his wisdom from a long life of experience,…
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I'm almost as overwhelmed as my mom
New to this site but my mother was diagnosed and placed for her safety into assisted living nearly a year ago. Lots Of logistics issues but I wont go into all of that in my first note. A month ago, she had a fall, ended up in hospital with covid, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and, since going into hospital, delirium… Cant…
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Memory Care
My Dad was just placed in a memory care facility. I live in a different state and would like input on how much time I should spend with him when I am in town. I don’t want to disrupt his schedule. A little info about his current condition. He knows who we are, he can shower and dress himself. He needed help with…
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Medicines No Longer Working
Hi all! I haven’t posted in a while. My mom, now 68, has been in AL since January. Since then, she has been on MANY medications whether sedative, antidepressant, mood stabilizers etc. It’s gotten to the point the doctor at the home has told us she is no longer responsive to treatment. She no longer holds a conversation.…
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Ectropion Relief
I searched forum for ectropion and read about someone weighing surgery for eptropion. MIL lower lids turn out exposing the red inner lid. We did surgery 1÷ year ago but they have sagged again. Same doctor now thinks face lift is needed! Not doing that. Does anyone have any suggestions to make her more comfortable, and to…
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Working through the issues (and emotions) - giving and requesting ideas for help
Hi. I just joined this group and have reviewed a number of strings. I find it crazy that with as rampant as this disease is, each case is still somewhat unique and there is not one methodology to deal with all cases. I look forward to learning from you all! I want to ask for direction as well as share some things that our…
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This is really hard!
Today is not a good day. I feel like I'm doing all that I have been instructed to do for my mom but it's really hard to not take it personally. I seem to be the target of everything that is wrong with her including the effects of my deceased father's indiscretions. She's 74, highly educated, financially independent but…
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My situation is getting confusing
Hi, My mom is 80 yrs old now and her dementia would be stage 5 progressing towards stage 6. I had brought her back to her house from my brother's place in June and my journey since then has been horrible. I have kept a caregiver too to take care of her needs. She was initially non cooperative and then later on in an…
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J
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I am a child of a parent with Dementia with Aphasia
Hello My father has Dementia with Aphasia. My stepmother and sister have been his caregivers over the years but now mom has Metastatic Breast Cancer so will need to focus on that. I am flying to Texas to take over his care. I am new to this. So far he is starting to have "accidents" ie, cannot make it to the toilet due to…
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End state dementia meds
My father has severe agitation that seemed to come and go. Now the hospice and adult care home are wanting to increase Halperidol, sleeping med, and a pain med to reduce the agitation and sleeping problems. It hasn't seemed to have helped much but they have pumped so many drugs in him. He has had agitation and sleeping…
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Hospice - Meds / Ensure
Hi All - I was visiting my parents while the hospice nurse came in for a check on both of my parents. It was the usual blood pressure, listening to the heart and lungs, etc. Since I was there, she brought up the fact that both of my parents are on Memantine and would I want them to discontinue it? I know hospice doesn't…
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Struggling to get mother diagnosed
I have Medical POA thank goodness, but for last 6 weeks her dementia became worse very rapidly daily. I tried to get her to see her doctor, but she refused. I obtained mental health warrant and she was taken to a psychiatric hospital. My mom denied being suicidal, confused, and said I was trying to force her into a nursing…
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Support groups
Hi. I live in an area that is very rural. Traveling an hour or so to a support group location is not an option. Is there online support groups available?
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Hospice at Home and Private Aide
Does anyone hospice at home but hired an aide to help? I am deciding what the best course of action is. It is less expensive to hire a live in and have hospice come to my home…I'm worried it will still be too much for me to handle. My mom is frail and is recovering from broken bones due to a fall. She is in pain, no longer…
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The Lawn mower saga
Alzheimers just stinks, and makes simple things so complicated sometimes. My Dad’s riding mower, AKA the tractor, had a factor recall in July. My mother had a company pick it up for the factory warranty repair, which took a long time because they were waiting for a part. Then at the end July my mother was diagnosed with…
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Benefits of therapy?
My mom fell 3 weeks ago and sliced up her arm on a dresser drawer handle. She had multiple sutures and wore a bulky dressing for 2 weeks, then had sutures removed. No longer needs the dressing. The injury appears to have healed well, for which i am grateful. She is no longer complaining of pain, not even during the suture…
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Anger about not going to church
My dad is 75 and in the mid-stage of Alzheimer's. He lived in a different state until 14 months ago when he made the decision to be closer as I am his caregiver & POA. No other surviving family lived close. What had been nice since his diagnosis was that he was able to convey that he knew it was time for the next "step" in…
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How to Get Legal Affairs in Order When You're Broke
Hi everyone! As the title says, I'm broke lol (it's not actually funny but I have to laugh or I'll fall apart.) My mom (60) is definitely progressing, and I don't have any of her legal affairs in order. Currently my mom is being taken care of by 2 people in their mid 20's, so not a lot of stability here as neither of us…
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Loss of Spouse, and moving to AL advice needed
My mother passed away one month ago of cancer, my Dad has Alzheimer’s. He was there when she died at home. He knows she died but does not remember being there. It is so hard to watch be traumatized over and over again, although things are starting to become more about how long he has been alone than when she died. So some…
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Newly diagnosed parent (75) - recommended first steps?
Greetings, My 75 yo mother was just diagnosed with AD. Our next appointment with the cognitive neurologist is not until January. What does everyone recommend I do in the meantime? I have an appointment with a neuro-social worker this week, but I'm not sure what I should be asking them for help with. I would love to get the…