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fast moving dementia
Hi, We have a family member who has not been diagnosed with dementia yet, however has all of the signs. It started about one month ago and has rapidly moved in the wrong direction. We took her to the ER and had a CT scan, blood and urine work done and it all came back normal. We have an appointment and MRI scheduled but…
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Agitation progressing
The lady I take care of is 85 and has had Alzheimer's for a year. She is progressively getting worse but her family won't accept anything I tell them. This week she is becoming aggressive and argumentative and it doesn't matter what I say it irritates her. I've kept Alzheimer's patients for 8 years and I'm not having any…
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fixated and constant chatter
Good morning everyone! I want to make a separate discussion post about my Dad's most challenging behavioral symptom that's happening at the moment and I'm hoping y'all have some insight! My Dad (83) lives with my Mom (60) and my nephew. I've been coming over almost every day since we brought him home from subacute rehab.…
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If I Had One Wish…
…it would be that all medical professionals dealing with caregiver’s listen to them and treat them with as much care and respect as was perhaps taught to them in medical school. I am my husband’s caregiver. His primary care doc referred us to a home health agency. After a brief period of service provision - I requested a…
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Repetitive Phone Calls
Hello everyone, My DH has pretty severe aphasia. He only says a handful of words but we usually can figure out what he's trying to say. One thought that he is fixated on is the whereabouts of his truck. He calls our daughter, son, and son-in-law saying "my truck, my truck". We all have a standard answer and give it to him…
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Parent Resistant to AL move
Hi all, would so appreciate some advice. My parents both have dementia: dad is early/middle stage 5 and mom is stage 4 (tam cummings). The last couple days we as a family have talked to her hours about finances. Her anosognosia is off the chart (it feels like). She feels like she has no control and is so sad and angry. She…
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My essay on navigating the overwhelming journey of caring for someone with ALZ was published. Please
I lost my father after an incredibly long battle with Alzheimer's about 15 months ago. Wanting to help others finding themselves in the same horrible situation, I wrote an essay about the experience, which was recently published. I wrote it not only to tell my story, but to provide insight, guidance, resources, and to…
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comfy chair recommendations?
Hello everyone! Not sure if this question is overly specific, but wanted to see if anyone had thoughts to share! A goal that my Mom and I have is to get a new armchair for my Dad (83, diagnosed with general dementia) to sit in in the living room. Before he fell, he was sitting and sleeping in a big, deep, cushy La-Z-Boy…
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Has anyone had experience with speech therapy for cognitive impairment/Alzheimer's?
My mother's AL has recommended speech therapy for cognitive impairment. I think she is currently at Stage 4/early Stage 5. She manages all ADLs but not IADLs (using Tam Cummings' checklist). My family has noticed increasing deficits in memory recently including short-term and also some confusion at times on past events…
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Progress on improved services for caregivers (originally provided by Michael Ellenbogen)
"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced its new dementia care model, which is intended to enhance the care and support for Medicare patients with dementia and their caregivers. The goals of the new care model are “to improve the quality…
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Off Topic: just a poem to share
My daughter sent this to me yesterday, and I liked it so thought I'd share. A bit dark, but it rang true to me. Maybe it just fits my current state of mind. Good Bones--by Maggie Smith Life is short, though I keep this from my children. Life is short, and I've shortened mine in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways, a…
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Cyberthreats
Some hospitals on the East Coast have been threatened by ransomware. Medical records and financial records and passwords are at risk. You can search for details. Try to get and keep paper copies of your important medical information because it might be corrupted by bad guys. Iris
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Resources for scheduling respite
Hello! I am new to this group but look forward to getting to know you all! I personally feel that one of the hardest parts of caregiving is making/finding time for respite. Does anyone have any suggestions for resources they like to use to schedule respite?
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Wanting to learn more about progression and stages
Hello! My dad was diagnosed with moderate stage Alzheimer's in September, and in six months his MMSE score has dropped 3 points. I looked up the numbers online, and it appears that Dad is heading toward the next stage at a pretty moderate clip because it wouldn't take much of a drop for him to be in the next stage. He and…
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OT a book recommendation
I just finished reading "Never Give Up A Prairie Family's Story" by Tom Brokaw, who also wrote The Greatest Generation. This is a great book about his parents, growing during the Depression, then through WWII, and onward. It's a nice easy read, with photos, about a part of the country that is less known to most of us…
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I’m new here!
Hi, I’m a 50 year old daughter living with my parents. Mom has not been diagnosed nor have we faced this head on but it has to be done. Main symptoms that are killing us are the up all night, rearranging everything all the time, thinks I throw away or hide her things , she obsesses over them. Always throwing everything out…
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The PCP said he’s getting worse
My step-dads pre op physical for his eye surgery was today. He’s cleared for that and for twilight anesthesia. It was an ‘interesting’ appointment. Dad did his usual blustery posture of ‘ nothing’s wrong with me’… but then pivoted to the ‘ there are bugs living inside me’ theory that he’s had for a couple years now( it’s…
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Excessive AND Deep Sleep
I'd say Dad's dementia is at stage 6 and wears a foley catheter. In the past couple of months, he has been sleeping more and more --- from 6:30p - 7:30a. On certain days, he would nap/snooze throughout the day and on others he would be up and pacing. From the discussions in this forum, I get that Dad's excessive sleeping…
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Mom Fell
I've missed you guys. I haven't posted for quite a while. Mom fell last Saturday and broke her hip/leg. She had surgery Monday and we are going through the recovery process. She is 89 and is probably in the mid stage 6 of Alz. She is getting excellent care at the hospital. Her nurse said she will be there for "a while",…
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Music for memory care
I spent yesterday afternoon with a friend and she and I went through all of Peggy's vinyl. She has close to 200 45s, and probably that many vinyl albums. We did this so that I can move Peggy's favorites from vinyl to CDs. That way she can hear some of her old favorites in memory care. Music has been almost the only way we…
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Help! Donezepil (Aricept) nausea
Hello, Hi! How did your LO react to Aricept? My husband has been on it for a week and immediately improved, but after a few days he became really nauseous & it’s not getting betters—it’s debilitating. I called the doctor during the week—no call back. I emailed Friday—no answer. I’m afraid to stop him cold turkey. Also,…
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African Americans less likely to benefit from Leqembi
African Americans and perhaps other ethnic minorities appear less likely to benefit from Leqembi than whites: "Although older Black Americans have twice the rate of dementia as whites, they were screened out of clinical trials of these drugs at a higher rate, according to interviews with 10 researchers as well as 4 Eisai…
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Can’t get this deleted, sorry
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Hearing voices of family or friends calling her name that only she hears
My Mom has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer's. My husband and I live with her in her house. She has severe hearing loss. She claims she hears different members of the family calling for her. Some are alive and some are not. She will go to the front door looking for people. She calls my sister in…
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Re-posted for pedwards
A new member named pedwards messaged me this; is having trouble getting it on the general forum and asked me to share it for feedback. Pedwards: I have been my mom’s primary caregiver for 2 years now because she had a stroke and she couldn’t go back to her assistant living facility. She has dementia and had the stroke at…
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Worsening symptoms with loved one in Assisted Living
As this disease continues to narrow our loved one's mind and ability to process fundamental information, she is getting increasingly panicked. She was doing very well in her assisted living atmosphere but recently has become more combative about 'wanting out' and 'forgetting and losing things.' General confusion. And she…
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Let Her Sleep!
It's always something at my house! Now it's the night time sitter and Dad. The hospice nurse has told us to let mom sleep when ever she wants to. Fed her when she's hungry and change her diaper when needed, otherwise let her sleep. Night before last the sitter arrives and is upset that mom is sleeping because she thinks…
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Seniors and Driving originally from Michael Ellenbogen
Michael has sent me this informative video on seniors and driving and some background on those interviewed: https://alzheimersspeaks.wordpress.com/2023/07/28/seniors-and-driving-what-you-need-to-know/
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Psychosis Paranoia
Hello - my aunt is 96.5. She lived on her own until 95, but now lives in a nice assisted living. Everything was fine until a few months ago when she started having extreme paranoia and psychotic episodes. She thinks people come in her room at night, beat her, and tell her they are going to kill her. It is progressively…
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Eldest daughter wants mom to live with her
i am my mom's eldest daughter. the oldest of 6 children all whom live withing driving/walking distance of our mom. the youngest is 35 years old, still lives at home with elderly parents and has Downs Syndrome. We joke that mom and youngest are still connected at the umbilical cord- not an exaggeration - they literally…