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New to the group
Hello my daughter helped me sign in to Alzconnected. So this is all a bit new to me. My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia three years ago and possibly had some of the symptoms a couple of years prior. Aricept did not work for him. He is presently on Mematine twice a day for a good year. Now I’m…
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Caring for LO when they're sick
Hi everyone, I've been absent for a bit -- we hit a semi-stable routine while we wait for our appointments with the new physician's group that was recommended to us. This post is one-part me venting/unloading about the Great Excitement of the past few days and one-part seeking wisdom. For those who don't want to read the…
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Safe Decongestants/pain relievers
New guy here. My dad and I have been taking care of my mom for about six years now. She has dementia, not Alzheimers specifically. I'm looking for recommendations for over the counter meds that are safe for her to take for runny noses and aches and pains. Google has given me unhelpful and contradictory info. Any help…
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Institute of Aging's Companioa program
Has anyone used Companioa, a program where the goal is to stay at home (as opposed to AL or MC), by using a combination of "care coaching" for caregivers, some home care, adult day care, and care management (medication, medical appointments, etc.). It seems to be a middle ground between 1) doing caregiving totally on your…
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My mom says I'm stealing her money and wants to go back home!
My mom is 82 and probably in the Stage 5 Dementia. Because she can no longer live alone she has been living with my husband and I for over a year. She still has her home that we grew up in and for the past year I , who am her Caretaker, take her back at least once or twice a month. She is always angry, accuses me of taking…
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Sister with early onset ....
Sister has declined so much in these past 6 years. She isn't able to converse with us. She stutters her words. She has also has a habit of chewing on everything. This has filed her teeth down to nubs. Is there something I can do to discourage this behavior. She also has started to suck her thumb and fingers. Basically,…
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I'm considering leaving
My GF has what appears to be Stage 4 AD. She has two 50+yr old sons and a daughter. They are weird. They refuse to talk to me. My daughter says it's because I am of the other political party. I don't know how that would have any connection with her health.?? She's getting worse (surprise?) and I have no way to communicate…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up
*TODAY'S VITAMIN We pray & help people as guided. Jesus taught "everyone" is our neighbor. See Luke 10:30-37 NLT for Jesus' teaching about the Good Samaritan. *I NEED TO REVIEW THIS OFTEN. How about you? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New Living Translation 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or…
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Feeling worthless by my partner
Hi, My partner has dementia, probably Alz and vascular dementia. I reached out earlier this summer about him giving up our boat. Still have the boat, but he has not gone down since late June. It is on the hard now, and he talks about next year, yet understands, somewhat, that his passion (his boat) is going away. It has…
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Trouble walking.....
For the past few months, my LO has been clutching doorways and not letting go. She seems terrified of walking these days. Does this mean her ability to walk is coming to an end?
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Beginning Stage 7 - big changes, all bad
Last week I did something I probably shouldn't have done, but I did it anyway. I went into memory care every day to see Peggy. I got there right around noon after lunch, and I stayed through dinner, ending at around 5pm. I never do that. Typically I go in a couple of times a week, call her a few times a week, and then take…
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Won’t Go to the Dr./won’t get an assessment
I am curious what ideas people have for facilitating an assessment for someone who probably understands that something is going on, but refuses to go to the doctor, and likely doesn’t want to do that because she is aware an assessment would happen. (the phrase - “you are trying to commit me has come up quite a bit…
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Can't get Mom to talk to the Dr. about dementia symptoms.
Hi all of you wonderful people. I've been trying to find help and resources ... basically just advice about how to get my mom to talk to a doctor about her memory loss. I mean its no longer just memory loss at this point. Her behavior is volatile and paranoid, at times delusional. She is withdrawn. Makes wild accusations.…
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Wife With Alzheimer's Won't Change Clothes or Bathe
I'm new here. My wife, who is in the middle stage of the disease, refuses to change her clothes, dress for bed or bathe. I am in the process of having some plumbing issues repaired in the bathroom with a tub in which she liked to use to soak and relax. We also have a shower in another bathroom that she could use. She used…
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What is the difference between palliative care and hospice?
I am asking a general question. My 91 year old frail neighbor without dementia but with congestive heart failure was refused palliative care from the Palliative Care Clinic of her HMO. Instead she was told she could apply for hospice. This was after a telephone consultation, not an in-person evaluation. I am wondering why…
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SUPPORTING THOSE WHO HAVE LOST SOMEONE section
I recently noticed that there's a section of the forum dedicated to those who have lost someone. I don't think it gets a lot of traffic. I wanted to ask if people could check in on it once in a while. Our fellow caregivers need some support and I would hate for them to get lost in the forum structure.
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Beginning
My mother (59 years old) was officially diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease on Monday. I don’t really know where to start with how to feel or what to expect with this diagnosis. I feel devastated and confused- unsure if this is something that can stay the same or if it will always…
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Dad called, said mom asking God to take her, wants me to apologize to sister
I woke up this morning and noticed a voicemail my dad left at midnight. I had not heard my phone ring, but figured something happened. I listened to the message and my dad said that mom (who has dementia) had been crying all day non-stop begging God to take her out of this life and she just wanted to die. Both parents live…
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Risky walking and ALF/MC
How do you balance your LO's desire to walk when it's risky, with the MC / ALF desire for them to always stay safe? Mom is in a wheelchair following a broken hip. She's done a lot of PT / Rehab but is usually only able to stand for a moment and transfer from wheelchair to bed, or wheelchair to toilet, or wheelchair to a…
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How to Start Part Time Help
Hello, My mother has (undiagnosed) Alzheimers and lives at home with my father. I live about 4 hours away and visit once a month, but my father has been dealing with the day today and it's beginning to be too much for one person. We think it's time to hire a part time companion/health aid. The problem is how to present…
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Holding back the tide
Just wanting to ask if there are any exercises for the brain, that can delay dementia. Anything positive you can do to hold back the tide? I feel my memory fading and just little things make me believe I’m in the very early stages. I’d like to do something to help myself, if there is anything one can do.
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Identification Docs for Late Stage Dementia/Alz
Hi! I'm hoping you can give me some good advice. My mom has advanced / late stage dementia / Alz, and, takes her purse everywhere (even in the house, to each room). At what stage do you take government IDs / credit cards out of wallet - and - what do you put in it's place? God forbid mom roams/gets lost, I'd like her to…
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Any idea for games?
In serious need of some new games for variety. My mother has significant short term memory loss so they have to be simple or explain game play continuously. Right now it's just dominos and gin rummy (needs constant reminders during game play for both). Have tried yahtzee, monopoly, life, skipbo, scrabble, five kings.…
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Uses for dry-erase whiteboards
I've read about how people use dry-erase boards in the forum. So it seems that you can use it to write whatever you want -- reminders, reassuring messages, etc. Any interesting ways that you can share here? For the PWD, I am going to use it as a reminder for meds, day of the week, etc. Incidentally, I suppose just…
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I Need Help - Early Dementia/Paranoia
Hello to all! I am currently the grandson of my nana who I am led to believe that she is getting the early or moderate stages of dementia. She lives alone at a senior living apartment complex. However, for the past year or so - she keeps claiming multiple things. From someone drilling into her apartment, People are after…
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Trying to figure out a full liquid diet
Hi again. I'm sorry I'm posting so much, recently, and not really contributing to answers. It's been an overwhelming week. In the past month, my LO (mom) has gone to a full liquid diet. She has a DNR and we cannot do a catheter or feeding tube, so I'm limited on options I can explore. Right now, she really likes the Boost…
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Broken arm
one of the residents in moms memory care has broken their arm. The swelling is really intense. They can’t cast it till the swelling goes down. She keeps forgetting her arm is broken and takes the brace off and it keeps swelling more. Her sweet family has tried all they know to keep the brace on. Cut sleeve over her arm, a…
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Colitis/explosive diarrhea/bidet brands
Hello, My Mom has Alzheimer’s and has colitis with explosive diarrhea. She is no longer able to wipe after a bowel movement and gets her hand in her depends and smears it everywhere. My Dad is trying to watch for signs of a bowel movement but it seems like she’ll feel like she needs to go and then bam, she doesn’t make it…
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Separating parents in AL
Anyone have experience with both parents being in AL but needing to be separated? My dad has CHF with stage 4 chronic kidney disease; he also has droopy eyelids and dry AMD that affect his vision and depth perception and cause hallucinations. Mom is late stage 5/early stage 6 dementia/Alzheimer's. She just returned from a…
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National Emergency Alert System Test October 04
May be upsetting to Loved Ones with dementia: ALERT: For those who are unaware, tomorrow, Wednesday, October 04, there will be a massive testing of the National Emergency Alert System on cell phones, radio stations and TV stations across the entire U.S. The cell phone sound should be rather loud or vibrating or both. See…