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Extra precautions during Covid
I recently read an article while waiting in the doctors office. It was originally published for flu season and was republished for covid with a couple of additions. Do not use bath towels more than once. Put them in the hamper asap. Do not use hand towels in the bathroom. Use paper towels. If you have been out in public,…
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How do you deal with the delusions?
My wife was retired by her employer in 2005 at the age of 63. She is now 80 and insists she was hired back and wants me to take her to "work" every morning. I called the HR department and they have no record of her currently working there. I didn't expect they would -- if they didn't want her at 63 they sure as heck don't…
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Agitation(1)
From Previous post I’ve mentioned I’ve been having trouble controlling my moms agitation, she is pretty advanced Alzheimer’s with agitation, restlessness, and aggression. We’ve tried some medications but have yet to find the right combo. I’ve tried things at home linked making a safe and calm space, removing distracting…
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Just don't know what to do(2)
I have an aunt who passed away several months ago and I am the trustee of her estate. Her sister lives in the adjacent apartment and has undiagnosed dementia of some sort. She has had this for years now but I am having to deal with it regularly since I need to take care of my deceased aunt's estate, which ultimately…
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Amazing ability to hide dementia from others
I just need to say this to someone. My spouse, child of the person with dementia, is not receptive to discussing this subject. PWD is in memory care. Earlier this week we took PWD out for an evening choir practice. I feared, correctly, that it would be a disaster when it came time to return to MC. After about 30 minutes of…
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Repeated Calls
Do any of you use any of the special phones/services that help with repeated calls? My mother is in MC and wants a phone. I want her to be able to call me and some of our family but she's prone to repeatedly calling and directing a lot of her anxiety through phone calls (calling asking for rides/exit seeking stuff). I've…
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Tech for tracking/geofencing LO with dementia
I think I’m looking for the unicorn of tracking technology for my LO but I’m hoping you all can help me. My LO is living in an independent living facility with multiple time/day home health care to check in, prompts for medicine and oral care and well being checks. For the most part it is really working out well but we…
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Keeping Family Engaged - Advice Needed
Hi all - first time post for me, just joined. My DW has FTD, we both are in our fifties, no children. She's in the moderate stage and I recently retired to stay home and care for her 24/7. She's Greek, both her parents have passed and she has two nieces and a nephew that live near us. Unfortunately, her sister (in Greece)…
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Two Parents With Mental Health Problems
I'm taking care of two elderly parents who both have mental health problems and it's a crushing burden. My father has degrees in physics and worked as an engineer. He has a solitary personality and looked down on other people for what he perceived as their lack of intelligence and obnoxious personalities, though he only…
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How to get into bed?
Hi there, Where can I get some information on how to teach mom get into bed. She is weak after the stroke, but she can sit up and pull herself up with the help of bed rail. But she does not know how to lie back to the bed. Anyone know how?
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Support needed
I am at my absolute wits end. I am only 23 years old, and have been helping my mom take care of her mother for 4 months, since the end of August of this year. We drove up to Ohio to see how she was, we had not seen her since before Covid. When we came up here, to our dismay, we learned that my Uncle and his wife have been…
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Are you in Humboldt County, CA and need supplies?
i have: * adaptive dining utensils - unused * adaptive plates, with a scoop edge - unused * foam tubes to make any utensil, hairbrush, crochet hook etc more accessible - unused * no rinse bathing solution - unused * shoes size 7 - some used * gait belt full of nice solid loops and grab point, made for the skinniest of…
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GETTING A DIAGNOSIS(2)
Back again. I’m the one with the sister with dementia who lives in the same independent living retirement community as me, but in a separate apartment. She does okay since I can send her reminders by text and visit her almost daily. We know she has dementia from her symptoms and the geriatrician agrees. She is scheduled…
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All I want for Christmas...
...is to clone myself. That way one of me can stay home and be the 24/7 caregiver, and the other me can leave the house and run errands, grocery shop, go to the salon, take care of medical appointments, see friends, and you know .. have an actual social life! Oh well, I guess one can always dream.
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When to interfere
My sister, who has mild dementia, lives in independent living in a separate apartment in the same retirement community as me. One of the activities here is a “guitar jam,” twice weekly where she has become the vocalist. She loves it and it is good for her mind. However, the group leader wants her to sing the lyrics from…
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Getting Mom to the doctor(2)
Mom has an appointment with a doctor soon. Problem: She does not want to leave the house and screams and fights. She screams and fights when I get her to change her top so I can only imagine how this is going to pan out. When I say fight I mean like a tiger. I'm sure many of have similar situations. Any suggestions to…
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How to cope(1)
Hi. This is pretty new to me and I feel like I am letting it take over my mind. I work full time with my own business. Have teenage daughters and a husband. I want to do the best I can to help care for my mom. She was diagnosed 4 months ago. We moved her and her sister out last month to they could be close and we could…
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Caregiver in Memory Care
I recently had to place both of my parents in a higher level of care. Dad is 78 and in personal care for mostly health related issues and mom is 70 in memory care (alz officially dx last month, stage 6). I was counting on dad being able to go live with my mom in memory care as I thought he would qualify for mild dementia.…
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Helping out mom's friend
I'm my mom's caregiver (she has vascular dementia and is on waiting list to move into AL) and she has a friend who is in AL (the same one she will hopefully move to). His daughter lives about an hour away, and comes to visit about once a month. my mom's friend keeps asking my mom to pick up things for him – basic…
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What was your last straw before placement?
I'm somewhat early in this dementia journey. Mom has had MCI diagnosis for 10 years but just moved in with us this spring from out of state. I told myself this arrangement would work as long as it works, and then we'll find some local arrangement depending on her needs. My husband and I work full-time, and my job is…
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Uncooperative and unsafe
I am looking for advice for what to do when my mother will not accept in-home help but is adamant that she will not move to assisted living. I have spoken with her doctor and he agrees that she is unsafe living at home alone (not taking meds properly, abusing alcohol/OTC meds, unsafe/unsanitary living conditions). I live a…
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Hello Zauberflote
It's nice to see you posting! I have been thinking about you and hope you are well.
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A couple of questions.
My sister and I finally made the decison to move my mom to a memory care facility. We placed her this Tuesday. My sister had talked to her on the phone for 40 minutes in a effort to calm her down earlier this afternoon, the facility couldn't calm her down. It turned out they didn't give her, the seraquel. I called her…
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How to cope?(1)
Simply put… I feel extremely sad. I’ve literally been crying for days. I’m a mess. I’m exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. My mom was diagnosed with dementia approx 7-8 yrs ago and has been living in assisted living for 6 years so it’s not something new but as life goes on there’s moments when I think to…
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Antipsychotics
I've read several posts that people have had their loved ones on antipsychotics for behavioral issues with some success. I have read that they have been very helpful in certain instances and even that there weren't side effects for some. I am now in this situation with my loved one as a last resort and, while some…
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comparing long-term care facilities
Looking a year or two ahead, when my wife may need to move to assisted living or memory care, she and I have visited a couple of the more expensive facilities in our area. Of course, they look wonderful -- modern, shiny, great food, etc. We were both impressed. Then the social worker from our memory program told me that a…
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Struggling to talk to Mom
Hello. It's been about a week since my Mom was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I'm overwhelmed, of course, and trying to find answers to the countless questions I have; trying to learn how I can do everything that needs to be done. At this point I'm really not sure how to just talk to her about everything & make her…
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Please add all of you can think off to this list - Thanks
I decide to a podcast for caregivers next year with a motivational speaker I have now known for over 10 years. I believe many of you can be helped if you would just learn a few things. He is not as familiar as I am with this disease. So, I am asking you all to add all of the issues you have to deal with your loved ones.…
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Something New(1)
I noticed something new with Mom the last few days. Sometimes, when we are visiting, and I am talking, she will be looking in my direction, but her eyes are not focused on my face - it's like she is looking through me. I haven't read anything on this, has anyone else experienced this? I also experienced her not knowing me…
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ER
Mom fell again during one of her night prowls got her back in bed seemed OK then a couple days later she has the poops and quit drinking and eating and loud moaning and groaning with her back, pain was intense when sitting up no pain when laying flat of her back. Called 911 she was darn* near comatose before they arrived.…