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Sooooo Exhausted
I’ve been caring for my aunt for 9 months. My mother wouldn’t help unless I paid her nor my father. I began paying them and all they are doing is just showing up. My mom wants to do everything but care for my aunt, my mother enjoys requesting that I order food coffee donuts, all while reading my mail, leaving dirty dishes…
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New here(49)
Hi all - I’m new here, but not to Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately I have a long family history of the disease. Several years ago my Dad was officially diagnosed, although with our family history we already knew. Based on his cognitive behaviors, he is probably in stage 2, although some days it seems more like stage 1 if you do…
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How to handle physical aggression
My mom was diagnosed by her primary care provider with dementia in January. We were referred to a neurologist but my mom refused to go until June. We are now in the process of a full neurological work up. Mom has had an EEG and an MRI and will have the extensive cognitive testing in about a week. She has started Aricept…
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ID bracelet
Thinking I should get some type of ID bracelet for my DH. Something that looks like jewelry, so he'll wear it. Something he can't take off, with his name, date of birth, and what else??? Maybe a way to include temporary information such as addresses if we are away from home. Has anyone done this?
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NEED 3 DAYS of 24 HOUR CARE for my MOM... looking for advice !
hi WONDERFUL PEOPLE !!! nothing HORRIBLE is happening (thank god!)... i have a DAYTIME AIDE/COMPANION for my MOM.. but she can't do OVERNIGHTS... i FINALLY want to take a NICE 3 DAYS away... my MOM is in EARLY STAGES... she basically needs a BABYSITTER... no INCONTINENCE, she can WALK by herself... i live in WESTCHESTER,…
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Cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g. Aricept)
My mother has mild to moderate dementia. Her memory and confusion are variable, sometimes even regardless of time of day. I do not know if she remembers being diagnosed with MCI, but she does not know she has been diagnosed with dementia. In December 2020, her doctor finally convinced her to try Aricept, just saying it…
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Overseas Natural Holistic Approach
I bought an organic farm in Panama in 2018. It is near the mountains and rainforest so daily temperatures of 70-77 degrees 365. Late 2020, I moved my mom from an assisted living facility in Las Vegas to live with me in Panama for better air quality, simple quality of life and to eat all the organic tropical fruit and…
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Hospice question(3)
I was told today by my mom’s palliative care nurse that she thinks my mom is going to need hospice. She had a fall last week, and according to her caregivers at her nursing home, there has been a significant decline in her functioning. She is very upset and has been sobbing, and they are not able to calm her down. She does…
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what to do about spending money
My mom is moving to an assisted living place. They know of her lewy body dementia and have a memory care unit when the time comes, they will see how it goes. Which is fine with me she has been stuck in a skilled nursing after a fall for months now, waiting to move. A few years ago my mom had me do her finances, by POA.…
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Talking to people who aren't there
My mom lives with us and she does quite well. However, lately she has what I will call "off days." She talks loudly to herself (although she swears she is talking to someone), she's constantly up at night -- still talking to herself, and doesn't really sleep. I am up most of the night just trying to keep her in bed and not…
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Warning TMI - Toileting Issue
My mother lives in MC. Since I've been able to visit more, I've noticed that Mom is no longer cleaning herself after a bowel movement. She is then putting on pants or sitting on her bed, which causes those things to become very dirty. Is there a way to help her remember how to clean herself? I've added an additional…
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Zyprexa...anyone have experience, insights
I have been reading this forum for a couple of years but this is my first time posting. My dad is progressing quickly into stage 6. My mom has refused to have any professional help in the house (she says she has caregivers, but they are 2 older gentlemen who just take him out on walks and for ice cream. I don't at all…
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Dr recommends taking Grandma off Namenda and Aricept
Hi all. I am an infrequent poster here. Mom and I along with some hired caregivers help take care of my grandma who is now in the advanced stage of Vascular Dementia. She is in an independent living apartment she shares with my uncle( 2 bedroom). And we have pretty much dedicated caregiving support for her. She’s 95 and…
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insulin dependent diabetic with Alzheimer's and vascular dementia
I am new to this forum as well as learning the ropes of Alzheimer's - does anyone have any experience with diabetic Alzheimer's patient who uses insulin? My husband had a way too low sugar a couple of weeks ago, and I questioned him and he insisted he didn't over use insulin. However, last night, he "confessed" he used the…
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Throwing trash in toilet
My mother has dementia and my elderly father with terminal cancer is the primary caregiver. We have so many challenges and things to figure out, but the most urgent is that my mom keeps clogging the toilet. She has started to throw trash items in the toilet and flush, which causes it to clog. We have either fixed it or…
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Feels like crazy fast progression
Still trying to understand what's going on with all this. My MIL, 67, was diagnosed with ALZ last summer. We'd started noticing forgetfulness and loss of memory (unable to remember her favorite recipe she's made for 40 years) and other things. What is hard to understand is right now, just over a year later, it feels like…
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Bathing Advice Needed
My wife prefers baths to showers and she can bathe herself. However, I think she sometimes forgets to use body wash. I have considered putting bubble bath in the water, but I don't know if that will really help her get clean by itself. All suggestions and opinions are welcome.
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Another fall…
I just posted in the broken hip post two days ago..and then my mom fell again today and has broken her right hip. I had to take her off of hospice to admit her to the hospital. She will have an ortho consult in the a.m. I will have to decide whether she should have the surgery or not..intense pain either way. The doc said…
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The risks of an assisted-living facility with memory care - Should I be worried?
Hello. Let me start with some background information about my mother. She is 81 years old. Three years ago, my mother began having hallucinations. She started seeing deceased family members in our home. First, my father. Then, her parents. Then, her sister. As these hallucinations went on over the years, I reported them to…
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A bit loss & alone
Well, this is not somewhere I ever thought I’d be. My aunt, Mom’s younger sister, was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s & dementia - although we (my Mom & I) thought something was happening over a year ago (& have sense learned her son & DIL thought so too). (At Christmas she couldn’t even read the words “Merry Christmas” &…
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Keeping my grandpa safe during the night
Hi everyone! This is my first post, joined a few days ago because I need community. A few nights ago I couldn't stop crying and had to call my doctor's off-hours line because I knew I needed help. My doctor had an emergency phone appt with me yesterday, said there was nothing I could do myself except being apart of a…
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Logical decision-making and how to say no
Hi all - so appreciative to be here. Here's my challenge: Dad is a bit of a hoarder (historically, I don't think he's been shopping during the pandemic. He has a basement full of stuff that he never touches. For example: I think there's 5 glue guns and 47 peanut butter jars of screws, nuts, bolts, etc. A 2+Car garage…
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New member living in the US; my mom diagnosed is in India
Dear community, My mother (77 years old) was diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's-type dementia in March 2021. She lives with my father (81 years old) in Gurgaon, India. My sisters and I live outside of India. I live near Washington DC. Is there anyone else in the community in this situation - living abroad from an…
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I know it’s the disease but I still have feelings and insults hurt
I just need a good ol’ vent. I’m just so tired of my mom constantly insulting me and belittling me, and thinking she’s “helping” me. It’s on every issue… my grass is too long, I’m not losing weight fast enough, I’m going to send my daughter to the wrong school in 5 years, I don’t parent right, I don’t eat the right food, I…
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Personal Hygiene Items
My LO is in a memory care community and for the safety of all of the residents, they keep all of the personal hygiene items locked up. They will only allow items in the room if they are considered "safe for children". Has anyone found some safe products for use? One item specifically that I would like is denture powder. My…
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Wanting to go home(3)
Hello all - my mom has AD and lives with my dad in the house I was raised in. They have lived there for almost 50 years. My mom constantly asks to go home. Sometimes she means her childhood home, but often she means the house they still live in. She doesn’t recognize where she is as her home. My dad (who she no longer…
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My mother broke her hip...I am exhausted.
...and my life is now centered on her care. I'm exhausted. First the ER, then the hospital, now a rehab. With my daily visits, I see that her dementia has progressed significantly, so I found a memory unit to move her to. She asked me, yesterday, if she was my mother. This is not how she wanted to go. She has told me that…
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Non responsive facility
I’m new to this forum. My mom is in a memory care facility. I have trouble with the administrator answering my emails. Some are regarding care and others are suggestions for facility improvements. Very frustrating.
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End stages
Hello, My dad died on June 6. As a caregiver, it seems to me there are 2 stages. Manageable and UNMANAGEABLE. In my case, unmanageable came when maybe because of a UTI my dad was peeing everywhere (Yes, he had depends, but also 93 years of NOT peeing in his pants) and problems with constipation, bowels, too. And…
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Anyone Experiencing Wide Swings in Abilities?
One major surprise to me is that for the last year my son will have a stretch where he is showing many classic Alzheimer's behaviors like sundowning, and being unable to tell ahead of time if he needs to toilet, or trying to sleep 15 hours AND take many naps. And then we have 3 months where he knows exactly when it is time…