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Morphine questions
At the end did you give morphine as needed or on a schedule? She’s more alert as time passes. She pulls at blankets and turns her head. She also wakes herself up like when my kids were babies and tried to stay awake. She hasn’t eaten since Saturday and had hip surgery on Monday. She swallows some water every now and then.…
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Alzheimer's After Surgery
Hello all. Recently, my Grandfather had to have his hip replaced do to a fall. His Alzheimers hadn't been too terrible, mostly worst at evenings. But since the anastesia, it has gotten so much worse. He's not supposed to put any weight on his hip at all for right now, but he forgets that he's had surgery and forgets that…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 3/18/22
WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR Isaiah 41:13 Easy to Read Version 13 "I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand. And I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid! I will help you.’" * me: Why does the Lord tell us, "Don't be afraid?" He's in control. He's all-powerful. And He loves us. There is no doubt, He can and will help us. He is…
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Interested in food, but eating less
I'm curious if your loved one has also experienced this. Mom still seems very interested in food, but she has started eating way less than usual. She'll take a few bites of her meal and be done, even if she really enjoys the food. Any ideas why this may be happening?
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This was new - swallowing
So, my FIL can still chew and swallow food but had been choking on liquids so we started thickening them a few weeks ago. So far it has worked well but tonight he did something odd. He drank two cups of water with no problem, but then at dinner he got a mouthful of drink, and swished for what seemed like forever, then spit…
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How to help
My dad Has always worked hard, long hours to support his family. He has always come home to a meal and watched his tv shows in the living room with a TV tray. He used to go out to week on payday but mostly to Golden Corral. He has never wanted to brush his teeth, take a bath, or go to the shower. So wtt he ‘‘em he moved…
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Hernia
My DH has a baseball sized hernia and will probably need surgery. He is 75, probably stage 4. We are meeting with the surgeon on Tuesday. I’m obviously very worried about anesthesia. The hernia is quite problematic though. Any ideas?
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Outpatient surgery
My 92-yr-old mom with dementia needs a 2-minute procedure to remove a potentially deadly skin cancer from her face. She got very upset when the doctor proposed doing it at the first visit when the cancer was diagnosed. She refused, saying she's old and will die soon anyway, and that she doesn't want her face cut. The…
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Mom will not go to her doctor appointments
Hello everyone, When the pandemic hit it was not an issue Mom not seeing her doctors since the main issue was keeping Mom safe from Covid. Last year Mom had an appointment with her cardiologist and I had to reschedule (she never kept the new appointment). Today Mom had an appointment with her cardiologist and I had to…
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Not sure where to start.
There has been many changes in my mother in the 6 plus weeks she has been here. She can no longer eat finger foods. She is pocketing food big time. The hospice RN said this happens when the patient starts to lose muscle control of the throat due to forgetting, the brain forgets what to do, forgets how to swallow. She is…
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Baby eagle
A baby bald eagle has been hatched in Big Bear CA. There is a naming contest open until March 25th. Visit www.friendsofbigbearvalley.org to view the eaglet's Webcam or to suggest a name. Iris
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Hygiene With Dementia
Hi, I am Blake and I take care of Mrs. Betty and she has dementia. Her husband just passed away a couple of weeks ago and she also has a daughter with cerebral palsy (47 years old) (also lives in the home with her own sitter). Mrs. Betty refuses to go to the bathroom or shower or put on dry clothes or really do anything…
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Legal Address for IRS and SS
So my mom is in a memory care facility in Pennsylvania. She moved there from NJ. I was a resident of NJ up until a week ago, so I would have all her mail sent to me. I m now a resident of NC. I have a few questions that I really hope someone can advise me with: How do I change my mothers legal reisdential address for tax…
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My dad thinks I am his sister
We have been in the hospital for a week trying to find out if he has pancreatic Cancer which is what the PET scan showed. I am his only living child. He asks for my brother all the time but not me. He asks for his wife all the time but not me. But I know from my mom years ago that he didn't want me. Is that why is doesn't…
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New to all this, dealing the best we know how..need help
My mother was diagnosed with early dementia ( I don't give it a capital ) in early 2020 and further investigation was hampered by the shut downs. She and my father were isolated for much of 2020, aside from facetime and "through the window" visits. My father has congestive heart failure. They live together, alone. We three…
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She broke her femur.
My MIL broke her femur yesterday. We are doing Surgery to ease the pain. We don’t expect rehab to make her walk again. We just want to ease the pain. We aren’t desperate to fix her and restore anything. There are no good choices at this stage. Not doing surgery doesn’t feel right. We plan to bring her home asap and not…
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all new to me(2)
My dad passed away in Sept fairly suddenly after a sudden cancer dx. That left me to fend for his wife with mild dementia. No will, no info and Ive spent months now just trying to figure out his finances and trying to pay the bills. She lives in PA and I am in NH. I am the only family she has which is taking a toll on me.…
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@ MNChickadee
Hi Chickadee, I would appreciate your input. My mom is extremely restless today, this is the worst I’ve seen her since being bedbound. Her morning meds consist of a Ativan and a Tylenol 3 with Codeine at 8am. That usually helps her a lot. She was tossing and turning so much we were afraid she would hurt herself on the bed…
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In need of direction
I have a dilemma and would love some suggestions on how to handle it. My mother has dementia and I am her only caregiver as far as family goes. I have power of attorney as far as medical goes at the moment. She lives in my home but still owns a condo in a town about 45 minutes away. My dilemma: my brother comes to visit…
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Mother makes too much for Medicaid
Good afternoon all. My mother's Dementia is getting worse. My sister is currently staying with her but must leave in 2 weeks. I am afraid that my mother is no longer capable to take of herself as the hallucinations and conspiracy theories are increasing. I reached out to Medicaid to try and get her on it but was told "she…
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Diaper Dilemna
* Mom is Stage 7 which also includes Incontinence. She has problems with both hips and legs so she’s , for the most part , immobile. During the day she keeps her diaper on (we call them her special underpants) , but while she’s sleeping at night she takes them off almost as fast as I can put them on her. Pull ups or tab…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 3/14/22
SEARCH MY HEART GOD THOUGHT: Jeremiah 17:10 NIV “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” VICTORY THOUGHT: I hope God finds my heart willing to serve others. POWER PRAYER: Lord God, mold me so when You examine my heart and…
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Rapidly Progressing Dementia
Hi All, It has been some time since I have been on the boards after losing my mom last February. I am finally in a place where I am trying to look back and process some of the information we went through in such a short time. In a nutshell- we went from first episode of psychosis for mom in October to passing the following…
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Long Distance Care?
Hi - My sister is in the process of EO diagnosis. She lives in TX and I live in NC. Is there anyone here who has experience with long distance care/support? I am working with her children (they live near her) to navigate this disease/process. Just looking for someone to exchange ideas with. TIA.
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Tips/Advice for long trip moving Dad into Memory Care in another state
My Dad has mid-stage dementia (Lewy Body, Vascular, Parkinsonisms) and lives in South Carolina. He wife of 15 years just passed away a few weeks ago, and my brother and I are getting ready to decide whether he will live in Texas near my brother (18-hour drive) or in Alabama near me (8-hour drive). We expect to make the…
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Alternative or unconventional Elder Care options?
Considering how ridiculously expensive nursing homes, assisted living, and HHA can be, I'm trying to collect information on alternative, or unconventional elder care options. Day programs aren't an option as when we pulled up and he saw the giant sign reading "Adult Day Care", he got so upset /offended he stormed down the…
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Real Help!
I have been pretty much on my own taking care of my mother over the past 3 years. I moved in with her in 2019 when it was obvious she shouldn't be alone. Last summer I hired Visiting Angels to come in 4 days a week for a few hours each of those days. She is a terrific blessing! Since I have my own small business, this has…
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So alert and present
Just wanted to share that I had such a good visit with my mom who is in a residential care facility on hospice. She was so alert and present. I brushed her doll's hair and then asked her if she would like to try. I couldn't believe it when she replied, "Oh I don't think I can." It was surprising she could understand her…
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There is no counselor title after my name
My parents have reached the age where a lot of their friends and siblings have died. Some friends don’t get out any more than they do. Others are snowbird friends, meaning they only saw each other in the winters. Each only has 1 sibling left and they aren’t in any better shape. My mom’s sibling, nieces and nephews don’t…
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Just had my essay on the journey through my father's Alzheimer's published. Please read...
I lost my father after an incredibly long battle with Alzheimer's about 15 months ago. Wanting to help others finding themselves in the same horrible and overwhelming situation, I wrote an essay about the experience, which was just published. I wrote it not only to tell my story, but to raise awareness, provide insight and…