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Holidays in MC
This is our first holiday season with MIL in MC. Should I be doing something (money) for the staff? They get low pay and cruddy benefits and yet most do an amazing job and truly care. If I should, how do I include the people I rarely see such as night staff? I’m not particularly interested in thanking the management team…
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a checklist for keeping household safe and predictable
I find a checklist handy for safety and also for avoiding surprises that may confuse a PWD. While each person differs and some things may matter less as one progresses and gets confused more, here are a few examples that may make things easier. Maybe you can adapt it to how you set up a household. 1) I check plugs and…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 11/27/23
THE LORD, THE GOOD SHEPHERD Ezekiel 34:15-16 New Living Translation 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak... JESUS,…
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That’s how we roll
Too funny - at least that’s how I’m spinning it. MIL went to the ER yesterday after a fall (she keeps forgetting she can’t just get out of her wheelchair), so we spent a couple of hours together. No broken bones or other problems, but she does have a UTI. Her first in recent years. I was surprised by the UTI because she’s…
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Going Along With Delusions?
My 88 yr old Grandma is suffering from very stressful delusions. She believes her neighbor stole her (imaginary) puppies and she wants to confront them. I have been trying to deter and/or distract her for days now, but it’s getting almost impossible. She won’t let it go and it is causing her a lot of grief. I told her it…
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Does the unawareness of deficits ever change?
Mom (84) diagnosed with Alzheimer's a year ago. My best guess is she is somewhere between stages 5 and 6 on the DBAT scale. I recognize now that she has been completely unaware of her deficits for at least 2-3 years. Does the anosognosia ever end? Will she move beyond it; or am I stuck with this person who insists that she…
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Sibling does not help nor gives support!
I have been a caregiver of my Mom since 2017. Her onset was around age 66. She is now 77 Years. Even before her diagnosis which was offically at 70 years ( I had known she was losing her memory) my twin sister never wanted or even wants today to deal with it in any way. Not only has very minimal contact with our Mom but,…
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Advanced Care Planning Guide via Michael Ellenbogen
This guide looks like it contains much valuable information: We would like to share that one of the resources available through the Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving, A Guide on Advanced Care Planning Resources: For People Living with Dementia and Their Care Partners has been recently updated! To…
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SdianeL
Just thinking of you and hoping your treatment is going okay. And that your DH is adapting.
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Starting diagnosis process
Hello, my 91 year old dad has been showing signs of confusion and memory loss for about a year now. A few months ago he fell and had to be in the hospital and rehab. The fall has caused issues with his kidneys and heart. We elected to move him to an assisted living facility. He is completely wheelchair bound and a major…
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Update my surgery - Mom’s fall
My knee replacement surgery was a week ago yesterday. I had my second PT session today. I’m cleared to walk unassisted inside our house ( it’s a ranch style, so no stairs needed). Still have to use a walker outside. I tried to use a cane in therapy but I wasn’t coordinated enough to actually use the cane for support. That…
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seeking advice, updates, met with private duty nursing/caregiving
Hi everyone. I'm back in my dad's "good graces" -- I know he gets jealous/upset when he thinks my mom is spending time with anyone, so I was eventually going to be the target of his ire. I gave him some space and have slowly been getting back into the usual swing of things. I've had a contact with a homecare/private duty…
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Dizzy and uti, just my luck
Not having a good weekend. Since late last night yesterday I've been extremely dizzy and unsteady. After not keeping down my oatmeal and a slice of bread this morning/afternoon, I went to the walk-in clinic and they said I had a uti and are running a culture on it. They gave me meds for the nausea/dizziness and…
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Antipsychotics do they last ?
Seems like a miracle has happen , Mother is no longer fabulating, no longer angry, no longer outbusting, no longer hanging up the phone on us, no longer accusing us of ruining her life. she says she decided to be happy , she sounds like she is on a high !! why the sudden shift? the doctor did increase her dosage of…
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How to Deal With Imagined People
I am new to the group. My dear friend has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimers. She is constantly talking about Rick and his daughter (imagined people) who come in and take things, move things and put poison in her water. How would you recommend addressing this?
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Feeling Overwhelmed
Hello, I am here to learn about this diagnosis and to get support in making choices in the best interest of my aunt as well as those of us who are caring for her. My aunt has been diagnosed with dementia with psychosis in November. She is 83. She has no spouse or children and she has been living alone in her home since my…
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What’s this diagnose mean??
Just called Nurologist to ask my wife diagnosis he said “ Moderate on set Dementia/Alz”. Any hear or know of this one ?? What stage you think it is???
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Incontinence
Hi! My mother is 85 with Alzheimer’s living at home with my Dad. She gets frequent urine and bowel incontinence. Any thoughts or tips on how this can be improved? Thank you in advance.
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Electronic Pet?
Does anyone have experience with an electronic dog or cat for their LO? My husband is a huge animal lover. He absolutely adored our cat (we had her for 21 years). He keeps asking for a dog but I think it's a terrible idea to get a pet (of course I deflect and say we'll talk about it later). I've seen a few online and think…
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Credit security for PWD
We received notification that a firm that has DH’s info on file had a security breach, putting his personal identifiers at risk of exposure. The firm offered a free two year subscription for a reputable security monitoring service to all parties affected, so I took advantage of that offer. The firm’s communication…
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I am home from surgery
We made it home before sunset with 15 minutes to spare. Spinal anesthesia, nerve block in recovery room. Tramadol before surgery at 7:15 am, oxy in recovery at 11:15. Another tramadol here at 5:15. Can stagger with hydro, will take one at about 8:45-9:15 to help me sleep. I walked about 150 feet with a walker at the…
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When it rains, it pours
Feeling apprehensive .... Over the last few months my s.o. and I have been getting progressively more concerned about his mom ... pink flags have been going up, but now they're becoming red flags. We've discussed with my s.o.'s brother, and he's concerned too. Their mom is showing many signs of mild cognitive impairment…
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Always seems mad and quiet nothing to say
I am the POA for my dear friend who is in an Alzheimers unit. Formally, funny, sarcastic, friendly, she often seems just mad all the time. I visit her and we often sit in silence watching TV. I asked random things to make conversations and she just stares at the TV and gives me one word answers. Or doesn't answer at all.…
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How Do You Mentally Deal with Sending Big Checks For Care?
Since my sister moved in with me, I have been very careful with her money, squirrelling away every penny I can for her future. She's only 58 years old and could live a number of years yet. Because of a fall, she spent some time in rehab and is now in a memory care unit, hopefully for only a month or so. The orthopedic dr…
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Comic relief
Doctor: Do you know why you’re here? MIL: It was highly recommended.
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Urinary Issues
Hi All. My MIL has been in Depends Maximum Absorbency for about a year. No bm issues so far thank goodness- just incontinence. Getting her to change them is a fight every. single. time. There's name calling, hitting, arguing that leaves me shaking and exhausted. I consider it a successful day if I can get her to change…
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Bed situations
Mom's been rolling around in bed a lot lately. She starts the night by being on the right side of the bed then throughout the night she travels all over it, sometimes onto dad or the floor via the foot of the bed. Not sure if this is the disease or her new medication Clonazepam. Since we have hospice now, we're thinking…
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Explaining Dad's condition to him
Hi everyone! My father has had 3 "episodes" in the last 2 weeks where he is delusional and aggressively combatant. I had the State police take him to the Emergency Room during one of the last ones. I had taken him to the same ER 4 days prior. The doctors advised that there is nothing medically wrong and that I should take…
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Emotionally draining
I'm a 58 year old single man caring for my 92-year-old mother who was diagnosed with dementia 2 years ago. Mom is doing remarkably well but is emotionally draining for me seeing the changes occur. I'm all alone working and coming home to care for Mom, how do I relate my emotions to other family members who are distant and…
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Home Help
Hi, I am a 21yo and I live with my Grandma who is late stage in dementia. I need help finding homes. I am in constant therapy for PTSD from the abuse and need guidance. I feel like either I go into a psych hospital or find her a home. If there's any recs that someone can give me I would be most grateful.