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My mask fail at Peggy's memory care
I'm kicking myself for this one... I always wear a mask when I'm in memory care, for many reasons, and I try to keep them cheerful. Over the last year I've been wearing this mask: Candide. When my s.o. reordered, he accidentally got me one that looks like this: Chakra. It's a blue pattern and I didn't think anything of it.…
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SafetyNet - how to get them to wear it?
My DH, 78, Stage 5 going into Stage 6. He tried to leave the apartment the other night to use the bathroom. The VA gave us an alert button that has a clip for his belt but he won't wear it. Does anyone use SafetyNet? Our Sheriff's office uses it and it is a watch. Just don't think he will wear it either.
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Memory Aid
I'm new here. I have a wife diagnosed with Alzheimer's and a mentally-handicapped some now diagnosed with rapidly advancing dementia. This is due to his mental disabilities. He is going to a rehab center from the hospital and we want to put something electronic together for him to help with his loneliness, as well as…
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Started mirtazapine last night - issues falling asleep
UPDATE 9/30 - Good news!! The Geri Psychiatrist took him off the Mirtazapine after 2 bad nights. She said she will discuss it at his next visit 10/17. And more good news, he has had 3 good nights after he came off it. I added a CBD gummy at night and that seems to help. I added more light in the bathroom and left our…
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Venting, not sure how
I don’t know how all of you do this day in day out care giving. I am a patient as I can be, ( I a nurse for heaven’s sake!) I do all I can to help, fix the meals, so the laundry, pill box, dry erase board… on and on and on, yet he still acts like I am going out to a party when I go to work. Or when I work at home, he acts…
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Recommendations of Videos to watch
We are bracing ourself for a long haul ;) would love recommendations on Videos my family and I could watch to help us understand this incredibly destabilizing disease so far I watched a few videos from Teepa Snow , good but not very well filmed ..
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Donepezil withdrawal - anxiety/ADD?
Mom’s neurology NP is weaning her off of Donepezil due to the bowel issues it caused. Mom was extremely bothered by the bowel issues and the resulting clean up needs. Originally mom was on the 5mg level for several months and then raised to the 10 mg level a few months ago. The NP considered the 10 mg the therapeutic…
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Fall Prevention
It's Fall, and this is the time to review fall prevention tactics. This is valuable for all older adults, not just PWDs. Some hospitals or senior centers offer free or low cost balance evaluations and/or balance exercises. There are many sites on the internet to review fall prevention. A somber note: forty percent of hip…
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detailed question list to assess progression?
Sometime in the past, I did an interview as part of some research study and I was asked a series of really detailed questions about what my partner could and couldn't do for herself. The questions really got me thinking and now that some time has passed, I'd love to look at that list again and think about how the answers…
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So far so good … guardianship in the process
92 years old living alone in Senior Housing appartement, still very physically in shape but loosing it .. We finally managed to bring mother to 2nd doctor’s appointment to have her tested and send off the papers to the Notary for our Protection Mandate to be homologated ( I think guardianship in US) we are in Canada. Not…
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Monoclonal antibody not effective in pre-clinical Alzheimer’s Disease. NEJM
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Caregiver Burden and Lack of Support with Loved One with Dementia (Behavioral)
Hi All, My grandma was diagnosed with bipolar in her 40s, and since her 70s has further been diagnosed with dementia. She is an Italian immigrant with little education, but has lived in the US since the 1960s. Her spouse passed years ago, so her support system includes my mom, and only a few of her siblings (my mom is my…
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Regarding my other cousin
I am posting to get an idea of how much I should push. This is regarding y my 85 year old cousin who had knee replacement surgery eight days ago on the other side of the country. She has now been in a rehab hospital for two days. For two days, she has not had any physical therapy. They are still "evaluating" her. She was…
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Bad night-Need to vent, share my solutions & discuss options.
My DH, 78, diagnosed 2 years ago, recent changed diagnosis not good: Rare ALZ-Posterior Cortical Atrophy. He's Stage 4 on the ALZ-PCA staging which is Stage 5 on the ALZ Dementia Staging. He's been angry & agitated & is on 1/2 tab Risperidone am & pm which is not helping. He's also been very depressed lately saying he…
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Recounting events that didn't happen
My mom was diagnosed with mild dementia a little over a year ago. Up until this point the main issue is her not remembering appointments, paying bills, eating meals, etc. She has also forgotten how to use the computer, find programs on the TV, do her taxes, etc. Yesterday my mom told me that she had a long phone…
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A heartwarming story
From The Washington Post. At Japan’s dementia cafes, forgotten orders are all part of the service https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/19/japan-aging-elderly-dementia-care/
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QuickZip Sheets? Are they worth it?
Has anyone used the QuickZip sheets or something similar? They are expensive and just wondered if they are worth it vs just layering regular sheets. My daughter is coming over to help me put a waterproof mattress pad on the bed and I want to do at least an extra layer while she's here. So far no bed wetting but he's…
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caring for a LO with paranoia
I am new at caring for a person with ALZ. My LO has thought that she expresses to me about suspicions, frustrations and resentments of other family members. I don't know what, if any to share, what to blow off and what to help with. He throught become obsessions some times and I am afraid family members who don't quite…
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Speaker for TV for hard of hearing
My mother was diagnosed with MCI in 2018. She is getting worse slowly but I can deal with most things. She is hard of hearing and wears hearing aids. The issue is she will be moving in with me soon and she keeps her TV very loud. At night in bed, she takes out her hearing aids and the TV is on full blast. She leaves it on…
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Lecanemab Treatment in the US; Remternetug trials in the UK/Europe?
Hello. I am new to this forum. My beautiful Mother has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She recently tried for the UK-based Aducanumab trial but sadly failed the criteria test by a few points. We want to explore the option for her to go to the US for Lecanemab treatment (as this is now fully FDA approved over there)…
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Questions to ask of a Home Care provider?
Hello - wondering if anyone can recommend good questions to ask of a potential Home Care provider? I have an introductory or "in take" meeting scheduled with a representative at a local Home Care company later this week at my parents' house. Parents are aged 85 and 88 and currently living independently at their home, and…
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VISUAL DISFUNCTION IN DEMENTIA TIPS
i found this info about ALZ-Posterior Cortical Atrophy and thought I might help someone else. There is a tip sheet you can download at the link at the end of the first paragraph. Visual Disfunction also affects people with LBD. https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/pca/what-is-pca/tips-for-living-with-PCA
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Change in mental status
My father, 88, broke his back in January,2023. Had surgery but he's not the same anymore. I learned that anesthesia and narcotics can affect his mental status and his dementia has been getting worse since then. He was given Lexapro, an antidepressant and he had an anaphylaxis attack. He fell recently and broke his pelvis.…
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PWD & physical/occupational therapy
Hi everyone :-) How do you know when to stop PT/OT? Brief context: Dad fell, broke his hip, had hip surgery, was diagnosed with dementia while in ER, was transferred to subacute rehab for PT/OT. We made the decision to bring him home because his mental health and cognition were heavily declining in SAR and he was not…
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Recliner chair
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good recliner? My mom is in AL but is rapidly losing cognitive abilities. Her recliner has a pull handle that pops the footrest out, but requires her to push it down with her legs until it clicks into place. She no longer has the strength or the understanding to do this. She leaves…
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I am reaching out/for what IDK? just some advice, comments or anything? Dimenitia
I am my mother's caregiver other than we have 54 hours of home care and without them ladies helping me, I wouldn't have made it this far, but its getting worse and my mother is 86 and she is starting to say how she hates me and just gets so mad when I try to prevent her from the main thing lately is she wants to go to my…
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Strategies I've Used
STRATEGIES FOR LIVING WITH AN ALZHEIMER’S VICTIM: Being reasonable, rational, and logical DOES NOT WORK!!! Neither does arguing, pleading or manipulating, keep communication simple and direct. They don’t have to be grounded in reality. There’s no need to re-live their pain. Distraction works. We don’t know what they can or…
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Anosognosia - How To Help When They Don't Know They're Ill
Sharing this article again: https://dailycaring.com/6-ways-to-help-someone-who-doesnt-know-theyre-ill-anosognosia-in-dementia/
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 7/21/23
Dear Friends. Your comments are welcomed, and I read them. If you have any personal thoughts on the verse, please feel free to share. I just prayed for everyone who reads this discussion. Peace always, Ronnie (Veronica) * SHOUT FOR JOY BIBLE REFLECTION Psalm 33:1 (GNT) “All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 9/12/23
Friends, again I thank you so much for your messages. Hugs to all of you! LOVE THE LORD * Deuteronomy 6:5 New King James Version 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. * Whatever we desire most becomes most important to us. * Be loyal to Jesus, our Savior and…