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Swing and a miss on medication
Just had to share/vent: I was so close to potentially starting a conversation about medicating my mom today. We went for her wellness check with her PCP. I had written to the doctor ahead to remind her of the mild cognitive impairment diagnosis from Mom's neurologist. We're in the office with the doctor, Mom's not…
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end-stage sign of pain & discomfort?
Hi all, My mom is bed-bound with end-stage Parkinson's and late-stage Alzheimer's. She recently became bed-bound; having previously been bed & chair bound (on days where she was more alert, she would transfer into a Broda wheelchair via the Hoyer lift.) She no longer bears her own weight / walks / or transfers with assist.…
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The chair and home health care
I am in Michigan & my mother is 89. I was just told, by my mom's doctor, that a home health care agency turned my mother away. The woman said 'the office in your area probably has their limit of Medicare clients.' No she did not sound sure of herself as to this answer, said she was reading the intake unit's notes. Has…
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COLORADO—New to Long Term Care: Switch Facilities or Providing Emotional Support
Hello all, About a month ago we moved our dad into a nursing care facility in Colorado. While it has a good reputation, it just seems to be lacking in emotional support, structure and activities. My dad has resisted the limited activities they offer and sits in his room alone all the time. The staff are kind of throwing up…
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Late Stage ALZ - Taking of ALZ Meds
My Mom (82yo) has been in assisted living for 5 1/2 years. She is under hospice care due to extreme weight loss/failure to thrive. But she constantly walks and is now a high risk for falling (which she has done 15 times since October and has broken two bones). This last two months she is now waking and wandering at night…
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Fast progression?
New here. My father (88) was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last November (2022). He had very mild signs ahead of this and was functioning well given his age - no other medical conditions except mild high blood pressure. But is September he fell down and hit his head pretty hard - was in hospital for a couple days. Even after…
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It Doesn't Have To Be This Hard?
When speaking/thinking about "it doesn't have to be this hard...", I believe it's perspectives over ability. My mother has made this statement in her current state. She is speaking from 2+ decades of memories when her role for family/friend was different from my current role (caring for her). She never lived with the…
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Newbie - need help/advice
Hi everyone and thank you for letting me join you. I am going to try to keep this a short as a can, but it is quite a situation I have found myself in. My mother and father are 86/84 and were living out of state for many years. When the pandemic set in I recommended to them that they stay there (more rural area - less…
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That middle ground between AL and Memory Care
My parents are in assisted living less than a mile from me. Both have dementia (one Alzheimer's, the other TBI from a fall and surgery), and are declining slowly but steadily. They are doing well in their current facility due to a combination of being able to support each other, a kind and caring staff, and my daily…
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Rolling head on the table?
Has anyone heard of Alzheimers patient rolling their face from side to side on the table? My MIL (84) will do this all day long alternating between sweeping the floor with her feet. She doesn't want to use a broom. She also repeatedly wipes the counters off with her sleeve. Then will go back to rolling her face on the…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 1/19/23
FRIENDS, always feel free to write below. I enjoy and appreciate your comments. Peace always, Ronnie, (VKB, Veronica Kelly Badowski) GOD'S WAYS AND THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER Isaiah 55:9 New International Version "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."…
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moving parent from Memory Care back home because $$ is gone
Has anyone done this?
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Worried about being eaten
Here's a weird thing. A couple of weeks after our uncle passed away, Peggy complained to me that "the ladies" were going to eat Uncle N. She was really worried. My fiblet response to her was that I'd check with the memory care director and get to the bottom of things. I didn't hear anything more about this until about a…
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personal hygiene with toileting
My LO (83 yrs.) with moderate ALZ has been having increasing problems with managing her personal hygiene with her bowel movements. She has been wearing depends reliably, which has helped at least some. She's sloppy when she removes them (irritated I think), and makes a mess in the bathroom. I will find, and clean, fecal…
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Is it ever ok to just be blunt?
My mother called me today - I “put her in AL November 11th ,” due to hallucination/paranoia about people on TV being able to see/hear her. She woke me today from a sound sleep and told me she was going home tomorrow. I tried to de-escalate by trying to get her to tell me what had upset her. She did not want to tell.me, and…
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Diapers for men
My DH just started having incontinence issues. He’s always worn old style boxers. I’m concerned he won’t like the tightness of men’s diapers. Any ideas?
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Bathroom Number 2 question
Mom told me something weird today about her bathroom stool habits. She said that she can no longer push her stool out sitting on the toilet. Instead she makes sure she has a diaper on and then stands up ( usually in the bedroom) and does her thing. She already has issues physically making it to the bathroom in time…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 1/18/23
GOD ANSWERS US Isaiah 65:24 New International Version "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." We can be sure the Lord knows what we need before we ask. He is faithful and cares for us. He is all powerful, and He loves us. Seek His guidance, and He will be there to help us.
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When to let sleep, confused keeping schedule.
I've been wondering about this for some time and have tried to look it up but I'm getting conflicting answers and even more confused. Is there any hard or fast rules on how much sleep a PWD should get or if we should force them awake to keep on a schedule? I see others share that their LOs sleep more as the disease…
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Senior Babysitting
I've tried to find a sitter for my mom I think twice, and I only found people who would do full time or part time. None for like 4 hours. Anyone here of such a business? Or do I have to place an ad on Craigslist or something. That was a joke...I think.
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The Numbers Are Coming In On Seroquel
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Auto Insurance
My dad is in the early-to-mid stages of Alz, lives alone and owns a car. My sister has taken away his keys at the recommendation of his doctors, but his car insurance with USAA expires next month. Even though my sister has POA, the insurance agent said that my dad would have to be the one to cancel his own policy (or…
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Dealing with Frustration as only Caretaker
My DH was diagnosed officially June 2020 with Alzheimer's but had signs from a CT back in 2017 and has been taking meds for it ever since. He is in the middle stage and I'm full- time caregiver. Has trouble getting out of bed and trouble getting up from couch and now is confused how to sit down. As a result, I've injured…
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Paranoia and Blame to Caregiver- VENT
I do not have a family support group besides my husband to help me express my frustrations about taking care of my father with Alzheimer's. My father lived with us for about a year and it was the worst time of my life. I moved him into a retirement community right down the street from me and that was a huge weight lifted…
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Thanks to all who have written to me
I wrote on this message board for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I am not sure what I hoped for (it was recommended to me by my therapist). Over the past week, I have received nine wonderful postings from those of you out there who are struggling alone with the care of a loved one. It is so good not to be ALL ALONE…
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Not sure if I had shared this before.
https://acl.gov/CaregiverStrategy https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/RAISE_SGRG/NatlStrategyFamCaregivers_ActionsSCO.pdf https://nashp.org/raise-act-state-policy-roadmap-for-family-caregivers/
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Teeth Grinding(1)
My mother was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago and I am looking forward to utilizing this discussion board for support. However, today I am posting for a friend who is caring for his wife who was diagnosed with early onset about six years ago and is currently in Hospice care at home. Recently his wife's teeth grinding has become…
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Preparing for the move to SNF
Well, I found a SNF for my mother. They called me Friday to tell me she has been accepted. I've been looking since October. Mom was approved for Medicaid LTC last fall, and has had Dementia for many years. It has progressed to the point that I can no longer handle being the sole caregiver. I am completely burnt out. I have…
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Are caregivers living in a ghost town?
It may take a village to raise a child, but you may discover a ghost town when it comes to the dying. ~Joy Johnston Why dying at home is not all it’s cracked up to be | The Caregiver Space I have a sister who has advanced cancer and most likely only has several months left. My mother is showing signs of moving towards…