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Veterans Benefits
My sister has been diagnosed, at age 55, with early onset dementia. She is a veteran and eligible for some services through the VA Health Care System. The VA social worker said she is eligible for long term care services, which, as I understand includes adult day care. It also includes some in home care, which we talked…
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What differently would you have done if you knew then what you know now.
My 69 year old DH has not yet gotten the dx except for MCI and Executive issues. We are maybe months or a year away. He just lost a job as a result but is starting a new one. He refuses to believe there is a problem. I’ve cried every day for the past two months. We have a 13 year old son who is angry with me because his…
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Choking Part 2
My mother, with late stage Alzheimer's has been choking. She's choked about 7 times in the last three months with us having to give the Heimlich about 5 times to clear her throat. Sometimes this is from solid food and sometimes I can be her own saliva or water. Took mom to see her neurologist who referred us for swallow…
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Mom Demanding to be Taken Home and Calling Frequently is Driving Us Nuts
This past week my mother who has early stage vascular dementia has been calling me and my siblings frequently and demanding to be taken home as well as accusing me of putting her in an assisted living memory care facility to die (I am her medical and financial power of attorney). And when I say frequently, dozens of times…
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The Answers to the Question
Last month Michael Ellenbogen asked if anything good had come from Alzheimer's and so many of you were kind enough to allow me to create a post with your words to share with others who may not belong to this forum. I finally got the post out. The Answers to the Question…
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What is my name?
My wife was diagnosed 4 1/2 years ago. She sometimes asks me my name, but a week ago she asked me what her name is. She has done so again a few times. Has anyone else experienced this?
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If the shoe were on the other foot
If I was the mom and my mother was the daughter (shoe on the other foot) I am certain that she would not take care of me. She would tell me not to be in denial and put me in a home as soon as possible. Anything I do is met with contention, nothing that I do is right. I feel as if there is no love loss between us. She has…
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New here, looking for support(1)
Hi all, Stumbled upon this message board when searching for online support groups for my mother and father. My mom was recently diagnosed with dementia a week ago, after being told for a year that her confusion and issues with getting lost when driving alone were due to her having small strokes. An MRI was done a year ago…
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Could a reversal in ALZ stage be possible
My MIL was diagnosed with Alzheimers 5 years ago and is in moderate stage but physically healthy. She was very aggressive, angry and delusional but recently as of mid Dec, I see a change in her behaviour where she is much calmer now. Earlier she used to be rummaging in her cupboard accusing us of taking her stuff, cursing…
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Sending positive thoughts and strength to you all
Hello all, It has been nine months since my mom passed away from Alzheimer's. Today I had a reference call for one of the incredible caregivers who helped me keep her at home with us, and it reminded me of all we went through together taking care of my mom to keep her at home with us. Mostly, what I want to convey is how…
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What's new pussycats?
New year! Same dementia! But who cares? We've been dementia-up-to some things! What's new pussycats? https://www.stumpedtowndementia.com/post/dementia_update
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wife is now two people
Looking for diversion tactics to help me deal with my husband who thinks there are two Pats in his life. His wife who has gone and his caregiver. Both are the same person. ME.he gets agitated when he doesn't know where his wife is. Wants me to leave so Pat can come home. He is kind and very grateful as has been his way all…
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Dad has Late Stage Alzheimer's and is in Rehab
Im new here! My dad was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's (October 2020) He was living at home with a care giver during the day. He fell the Sunday before Thanksgiving and broke his hip, had to have hip replacement surgery and we had him sent to rehab. The Monday after rehab I was visiting him and 30 mins after I left he…
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Gun access
When my LO got the diagnosis we locked up all the guns and ammunition. Suddenly my LO has started asking about the key. He wants to get out the 22. I have acted like I forgot he asked hoping he would forget. What do I do. My families best idea is to blame it on the Dr. Will that work?
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Lucidity - Questioning disease b/c of medication
Greetings, My LO, was diagnosed with Dementia June 2017. Last year around November the sudden drastic decline happened. Incontinence, agitation, sun downing, aggressiveness, verbal abuse, hallucinations, accusations of her money being stolen grew more intense. We started her off on Risperidone .25 mg as needed. I met with…
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drugs(1)
Interesting read. Unfortunately no info on where to get the education to care w/o some drug help nor how to find the time to learn. https://www.drugs.com/news/why-dementia-patients-getting-risky-psychiatric-92206.html
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Changes I've noticed.
Parents were here in December for a visit. Mom uses a walker now and does really well with it where space permits. When she can't use the walker she reaches out for furniture, walls and doors to lean on. She used to sleep for long periods of time. That was always the norm for her, even before Alz. She will say she is tired…
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Hospice?(4)
I took my 77 year old mother, who is in late stage Alzheimer's, today and the neurologist said she could give us a hospice referral. This is not because my mother is dying within two weeks (what you think hospice is for) but because she has fallen down twice, starting to choke when eating or drinking, and needs 24/7…
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Night time delusions/hallucinations-how to convince LO they're in bed?
sometimes Mom sleeps through the night and sometimes she's up every hour or so wanting to get home from wherever she is (thinks she is) How do you deal with convincining your LO they are at home and in bed?? Of course to her she is in her car, outside, in an office building, etc and describes what she sees and that is HER…
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I may have COVID. What do I do?
I am the sole caregiver for my parents and I have a fever of 100.1, runny nose, cough, fatigue - a lot of the symptoms of COVID. What do I do if I test positive? Who will care for my parents if I have COVID?
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How to care for a person who wasn't a kind person to begin with....
I reside in a rural area that does not have access to support services so I am thankful for this venue to ask for help. My "mother" (I refer to her by her first name as she has not earned the title of "mother") lives with us as she has no resources of her own and no other family to care for her. She alienated all extended…
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Technology
My mother keeps trying to log in to FB, her email, etc and is constantly blaming the internet company and/fb for her troubles. She calls me asking for help. I live just a little over an hour away, not that far. But she has been hitting the wrong keys when she is trying to log in. When/how do you need to approach the…
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Sick and tired and feeling guilty
I am feeling terrible. From the time I was a small child my father has always had a liking for telling "off color" stories, usually ending with women exposing themselves to him or having sex with multiple men. He is always blameless in these tall tales. Now that his filters are damaged, he does this all the time. He has…
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Mother has forgotten her diagnosis
I am a relatively new caretaker. My mother was initially diagnosed with Alzheimer's in October by her primary care doctor. Her overall health was in a terrible state at the time due to her long time neglect of her own health while she cared for my grandmother who also has Alzheimer's. All of her children live several…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 1/14/21
ZEST & JOY OF LIFE, A Choice! * 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New King James Version * “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” * Quote: “How does one have enthusiasm in his life? It is as simple as this: Cultivate the ability to love living. Love the…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 1/9/21
GOD’S TRUTH Psalm 100 NKJ A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People A Psalm of Thanksgiving. “100 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are…
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Medicine unlikely to be used properly
I took Mom to the GYN last Thursday for a repeat issue regarding an irritated outside area. The doctor prescribed a hydrocortisone cream to be used once daily at bedtime on the affected area for 14 days. She and the doctor went over this for umpteen times before we left the doctors office. She and I discussed it on a…
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Delirium - it's a thing? Who knew?
I have posted how my 90-year old mother is now hospitalized. She was diagnosed with vascular dementia August 2020. Starting on Christmas day, she got super agitated at MC. Lots of daily delusions going on, culminating in full-on hallucinations about a train wreck she could see out the window. On Jan 1 when she was sent to…
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Only a few months in...
But, I feel so darn* lonely. I want love and support but don’t ask, Covid sucks. Some people will ask how things are but then say, “ oh my gosh, I know right???” Very few people get this, like really get it. You learn who friends are so fast.... just feeling like pitiful pearl tonight. Wanted to whine a little.
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Warning about Driving
This is why persons with dementia shouldn't drive: An elderly man from Eastham, MA died this week. He went for a drive to the library, which he did regularly. But this time, he parked the car and didn't go into the library. He left the parking lot (seen on security cameras) and headed down a path towards a pond. After…