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Welcome! New Forum for Caregivers
This is a new discussion forum for caregivers supporting someone living with Alzheimer's or dementia from a distance. Perhaps you live in a different city or state.
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Tips for Caring From a Distance
I live in Oklahoma and my mother and stepdad live in Maryland. My stepdad is currently in a memory care facility with advanced Alzheimer's. My mother has a severe physical disability and has also recently been diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's. My sister and her husband moved into my mother's home to care for her,…
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Stress, guilt, confusion
My oldest sister told me she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a month ago. I know she's had mild memory loss for years, but she hid it well. It still seems mild to me, but I've never known anyone with this disease. She calls me to tell me that I never call her, although we speak frequently. When the conversation starts, she…
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Mom Refusing Care - Advice?
Hi - I’m new to all this and dealing with my Mom who has had a stroke and then diagnosed with dementia. She doesn’t live with me and as she is recovering from a recent fall - her overall health and conductive health has declined. She is now refusing to open the door for caregivers coming to help with her rehab from the…
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Navigating mom's move to MC from six hours away
Hello, I'm really glad I found this resource and hope I can get some support from online. Brief history: I live about 6 hours from my family. About 10 years ago my mom had a TIA and was fine until about March last year, when she fell and hit her head--either another stroke or balance problems; no idea. My dad covered for…
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Traveling Internationally With Dementia, Wandering Concerns, and Medical Alert Bracelet Recommendati
My dad is taking my mom to Mexico for stem cell treatment related to her dementia. He is going alone as her sole support person/caregiver. i’ve tried everything I could to try to stop this trip from happening not only does the procedure scare me with a alone. This is something that my dad is determined to do. My mom is a…
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How to cope with early onset decline of my sister long distance
Hi. I live in AZ, my sister and her family in WI. For some time she has had memory issues. She was only diagnosed 2 mths ago and is 66. Last weekend my nephew told me she is in decline, not eating, and is now in her own world. .I am going back to WI shortly. Personally I am crushed. As a nurse I know the support they need.…
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Checking in
My sister lives 8 hours from me and is in a rather fluid period of decline. She has 24hr care as we navigate a new living situation. I have a ring camera that allows me to see her in her living room. I’m wondering if I should bother calling her when I see she is disengaged ( just sitting and staring) I have had one…
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Navigating Long Distance
Good evening. I am new to this site; just searched for Alzheimer's support groups and this showed up. A little (moderately long) background: My mother is in a memory care facility in Washington state. My sister holds ALL of my mother's powers of attorney. My sister and I have been estranged for more than 15 years. For…
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Mom lives across the country & has early stage of dementia
Mother lives across the country and insist she is taking her medications regularly, but her BP says something different. She tells her doctor that she is taking her meds and feels that the doctor is calling her a liar. I know she is not taking them regularly and she meets the criteria of loss memory for the early stage.…
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long distance
Hi, I live in Hawaii, but my brother Dan was recently diagnosed with dementia in San Diego. My family there is being lacking with details, and I am having a really tough time processing this from a distance. I would love to join a virtual local support group here in Hawaii or anywhere just to listen, connect with others,…
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Wanting to leave assisted living
I live far from my sister. I was requested by her friend to check in on her and was surprised at her decline. We immediately put her into assisted living. She was living in an apartment by herself. When we arrived, she was open to visiting assisted living facilities, but I believe she thought it would be a year away or…
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Moved to Assisted Living but thinks there is a return home
I live far from my sister. I was requested by her friend to check in on her and was surprised at her decline. We immediately put her into assisted living. When we arrived she was open to visiting assisted living facilities but I believe she thought it would be a year away or that her same friend who called would go to the…
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What do you do when they push you away?
Dementia has really hurt my family tremendously. I live long distance from the rest of the family. My aunt has dementia. She's pretty upset with me for setting boundaries for myself. Long story short, I was expected to be her caregiver without any consent from me. So, when I would call my aunt, she would yell and cry…
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New member, helping my parents
My mom has Alzheimer's - stage 4 or possibly stage 5 (somewhere in between?) - clearly at the stage where she needs extra help but is incredibly resistant to accepting any help outside of family. She will basically scream about how accepting help will make her decline faster… etc (she was an RN for years and has experience…
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How do I take away responsibilities?
I am the person responsible for my sister who has frontal temporal dementia. She has 24/7 care in her home and has been paying her own bills and everyday items. I have been overseeing her accounts to make sure that she doesn't overspend, but now we are at the point where we she can no longer be responsible. This has been a…
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Looking for ways to help mom whose in denial and thinks I steal from her
Mom is not diagnosed, in denial she has any problems, accuses only me of stealing from her- things I didn’t even know she had, and I live 5 hours away, verbally and emotionally abuses me, I am the only person in her life willing and wanting to help her. What have others done in this situation?
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My Bestie
My best friend has developed delusions and very confused/rambling speech. No stroke or neurological issues. Her mom had Alzheimers. I'm at a loss as to how to support her through this journey. Her husband, who has dementia says she is "just fine". Any wisdom out there for an outsider?
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Sibling Disagreement on Care
My 85-year-old mother was diagnosed with dementia 7 years ago. My older father insisted on caring for her and hiding how bad things were from my sister and me. We started 4 years ago to try to get him to consider in-home care or assisted living. He finally agreed and they moved into a lovely community in October. However,…
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New here, young adult child looking for connection and support
Hi, I’m 33 years old and my 74 year old mom was recently diagnosed, although we’ve seen it for the last couple years. I live in California and she lives in Ohio with my dad. I also have an older sister that lives a few hours away from my parents. Mom and I have been really close and talk on the phone every day on my drive…
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Mom was just screened for dementia
Hello I am very new to all of this and am reaching out for support. My mom who is 83 was just screened for dementia in the doctors office. She failed the test - was not able to draw the clock or remember the words. My dad is her caregiver and now cooks all meals and is starting to manage her medications and doctor apts. on…
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Long Story
Hi all, I am new to the online support group. My husband has both vascular and FTD. I was wondering if any other spouses abruptly left their family home during an illness that presented as psychiatric, but was later diagnosed with dementia after many unfortunate events, say 2 years. We finally had to place my husband in a…
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Memory Care and Home Visits
Is it always the case that someone in a Memory Care environment should not visit their old home for fear of triggering confusion or a desire to stay there again? Or are there examples where it can be a positive temporary experience? (In our case no one else is currently living in that home. It is located about 20 minutes…
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Mom
My mom is 68, struggled with alcohol, has it in her head her thyroid meds are too low. She started dubbling up her meds abt a month ago, and started back to drinking. She hears voices and does not believe some family members have died. Alzheimers runs on her mother's side of the family. She went to jail for coming at my…
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Over medicating ? chemical restraint ?
I need some advice .. My step father who is only 61 years old has been battling frontal lobe dementia for 2 years now but recently his behaviors have increased to being up at night wandering from room to room , pacing and moderate confusing and anger, with possible treats of wanting to end his life , but he was not…
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Travel documents for parent with dementia?
(Apologies, but I feel like I have to redact this post and the follow-ups at this point to keep some details private. Thank you all, especially H1235 and Victoriaredux.)
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My mother won't see a doctor and she is not okay
My mom has always been incredibly independent and strong. She is 82 now and the last couple years she has steadily declined and has every last symptom of dementia or Alzheimer's. I live 4 hours away and my sister is close to her and keeps me updated ( I'm in the process of trying to move closer). Mom refuses to see a…
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Best friend
I understand what you’re going 33-year-old I am 52 and 1/2 to 3 hours away. My mom and I all the time on the phone and for like the last two years my husband and I have decline in conversation then she fell and was in the hospital and I went up to visit her and stayed at her house and saw the disarray of the house and that…
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Proper bed for home
Hello - I am new to the community and working to arrange 24 hour care in home for an older brother who likely has dementia (evaluations are underway and he just moved to a rehab setting from a hospital). We need to have him live on the first floor when he returns and wondered if a hospital type bed is necessary. He is able…
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Long distance
I am 52 years old and got my mom diagnosed with dementia and she 2 1/2 hours to three hours away and I am struggling with her declining. She was my best friend my rock and just looking for support and whoever else is out there that we can discuss this.
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How to decide if family member with cognitive decline can be allowed to stay in home, living alone.
I am writing for advice about my sister who has been diagnosed with dementia that is vascular related, not Alzheimers. For the last five years, her declining decision making and ability to engage in executive functions, such as managing medications or finances, has become evident to me, her health care provider, and her…