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Please do this by end of day today
It is a 3-minute video and includes extremely moving words from the patient advocates – it is a great compilation that makes the case for CMS to provide coverage. We encourage everyone to share with their friends, families, and professional networks on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. This can help get the word…
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MC added Antidepressants and psychotropic meds broke arm
I had to place my mom in a MC unit. I did all my research a 5 star facility on medicare.com. The Facility that she was placed in put her on medication without notifying me. She was already on buspirone 15 mg twice a day and Trazodone 100 mg at night. January 4 they added depakote 250 mg twice a day and Lexapro 5 mg twice a…
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Taking mom's computer away & obsessed with her money
Mom is 80 and has Alzheimers and is in an assisted living center. Some how she can still manage to get onto her computer to check her internet banking to monitor her money. My sister manages her finances for her and does a great job. She pays mom's bills but mom still writes some checks on occasion. Mom is a very social…
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Should we have another hospice evaluation?
Hi All, Three months ago we had a hospice evaluation for my MWA who lives with me and my husband. At the time the nurse said she wasn't ready/didn't qualify. Over the last two-three weeks she has had some pain and swelling in her knee which she has complained of, as well as her back (she has spinal stenosis, so the back is…
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Assisted Living vs. Memory Care (Early/Mid Stage)
Hi all, First time posting here. My dad is early stage, but the latter part of early stage I think. He still lives at home alone (my mom passed away last year). Dad is 92 years old and in good overall health (knock on wood). He has someone that comes to the house M-F from 2-7 to make sure he has dinner, takes his…
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LO laying backward
Question for the group. My father recently started leaning backwards (stiffening his back) while sitting in his wheelchair and anytime I try transferring him from the wheelchair to bed (visa-versa). Shortly before this, he no longer tries using his legs to stand up (he was able to stand/walk short distances but won't now).…
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Support groups in person in Md
Hi, I am looking for in person support group. In this case I do not like doing online as I am not to crazy about doing that. I need to get out without my loved one. Any suggestions? I live on the Easter Shore of Md Thanks HDill
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 3/24/22
WHAT'S YOUR BATTLE TODAY? 2 Chronicles 20:15 New International Version "...“Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.'" me: I often ask God to fight a battle for me.…
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getting help vs dealing with the consequences
I'm overwhelmed. I get it. I need help. But it's NOT THAT SIMPLE! I can go for a walk. But who knows what chaos I will be coming back to. Even if I come home to "relative" serenity, chances are I plowed through that walk in "relative" anxiety. The biggest issue now with LO is paranoia. This is pertinent because the…
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Should I be taking my mother to a psychiatrist or neurologist?
My mother is 74 years old and detected with Dementia. I had an appt with a neurologist back in Dec and since I cannot really tell my mother's condition which way it is progressing I would like to get her evaluated again. With the psychiatrist they need her consent and she is not in a state to comprehend or agree to seeing…
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So the latest update on my dad:
He has a consultation today with a general surgeon to have a colon polyp removed. He’s been to the ER twice. He’s on antibiotics for pneumonia through this Thursday. He has 2 vertebrae in his lower back with compression fractures. He needs to get more pain meds from his doctor before he runs out in the next couple of days.…
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I thought this was a good session.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0mDmmb_LwE
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Lost my mom
My mom died a month ago. She was being cared for by hospice at her MC community. She died peacefully and painlessly, which is the best I could have hoped for. The last 6 years of my mom being diagnosed with Alzheimers/dementia have been the hardest years of my life. I am grateful for the support and advice I received…
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Growth - palate (warning gross)
Today, my FIL was napping reclined and was snoring with his mouth open. I noticed a large growth, roughly 1 1/2” in diameter and 1/2” thick in the roof of his mouth (hard palate). I would never have noticed this brushing his teeth and such. It must be pretty new because he had a dental appointment in 2020 and she did not…
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Alternatives for care
I'm looking for alternatives for my mom's care, and I'm open to suggestions: CURRENT SITUATION: Mom is Stage-5 and in an assisted living facility. She is unhappy there, but it is a controlled access community so she is not confined to a memory care unit. NON-OPTIONS: She cannot live with either child (one is handicapped…
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DH refusing to use CPAP
For six years my husband has worn a CPAP full face mask to bed each night. Even though he gets up 6-8 times a night due to anxiety and overactive bladder, he put the mask back on when he returned to bed. But, in the last week he will put it on then remove it within minutes or refuse to wear it at all. Has anyone…
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UTI confusion / delusions improve after treating UTI?
My mom has been telling all kinds of tall tales the past month - and retelling stories from the past that are all jumbled up - all combined with paranoia (neighbors watching every move) and accusations. We are getting her checked for UTI as I type. So if it is a UTI, will the delusions resolve? For the record, she's not…
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Angry wife
My wife was dianosed last fall with Alzheimer's. In 1993 she was in a bad horse wreck and had a bad brain injury. So we have been dealing with the effects of the head injury, and now Alzheimer's on top of that. Her father had Alzheimer's so we both have some idea of the progression of what we are going through. What is…
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Looking for placement, my mother was turned down how do I approach?
Hi, back again. I have been looking for placement for my mother near where I will be moving in April. She has been turned down for each facility in question. Reasons being POA and her exit seeking behavior. I do have POA of my mother, but it is not active as the doctors have stated she is not at the point where she is…
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A good read!
I ran across this. It is long but chock full of great info from diagnosis to care. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3159541/
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Cycling through caregivers…Elder Care Manager?
I would like to first thank everyone for their participation on this board – I have found it useful many times. Here is our situation: Mom is 87 and was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia in February of last year. My brother, who lives at home and did so prior to my mom’s diagnosis, has been caring for her. He was unemployed…
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Giving comfort while in SNF
Hi All, My mom is either in or moving into late stage Alz. She is often very fatigued and sleepy, full assist (no walking or ambulating), and still using language but it's often hard to understand and/or spoken very very quietly. Today she seemed unable to sit upright in her wheelchair - she tipped to the right and front.…
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The manic behavior. Leave it alone?
The Dr's have put mom on Olanzapine mostly for her paranoia. She is obsessed that her cousin (dead for more than a decade) was out in the carport with a suitcase stealing things. Two days ago. Always two days ago. This has been going on for months. I believe it is a false memory and not a hallucination. Regardless, the…
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Golden age of radio
I just wanted to share something that my FIL has really enjoyed since many of our LOs are from the same era. It’s a compilation of old radio shows and songs. He can’t see and we were looking for something besides books on tape and TV (which he can’t follow very well). We have the second volume, and sometimes he recognizes…
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Help, they Want to Move him to a Geriatric Psych Facility
Urgent advice needed from the group. My Father has had a number of outbursts at his MC home over the last few days. I have been working with his geriatric pysch to modify the meds to calm him down (coincidentally a bunch of family was visiting and the outbursts began after we left). Due to some mishaps at the facility, not…
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Directions for patient in war zone
First, sorry for my terrible English. Second I'm from Damascus, Syria and here we don't have proper Medicare for Alzheimer's patients. We suffered a lot because of the war. My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 7 years ago and according to what I have read and researched online, I think she is in her late stage. The…
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Critique my Technique!
Ok, here's the scene: Thursday morning, LO and my spouse drive and pickup a co-op delivery. This is the sort of activity she enjoys. Friday morning LO gets up and says, with enthusiasm, Oh, today we're going to pickup. I murmur something like, mmhumm, The weather is great today; a great day to get out.... I leave and…
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calming drugs
Dr recommended, for my wife aggression, anxiety mood swing etc. Seroquel im not sure if i want to drug her yet. I use Xanax when she has issues. Any info in your families i'm interested in your story. Verl
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adult foster care home vs assisted living facility
We moved my 80 year old mom in with us recently not realizing how impacted she was by dementia. Talking to her on the phone a few times a week the past few years did not give me an accurate picture! So here we are, 5 months later. It is just my husband and I taking care of her and we are exhausted (we both work, have two…
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A book to help you thru stage 7
Midwife For Souls. Spiritual Care for the Dying. By Kathy Kalina. This book was written for hospice workers and all who live with the terminally ill. It's only 145 pages, its an easy read. This book helped me tremendously when my husband was dying from cancer. It's helping me now as my mother nears her death. It helped me…