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Walks off from Caregiver
I stayed with Mom for 3 days to give Dad a break. She doesn't recognize me but was pleasant when I arrived and for the entire time surprisingly calmer than usual. But when we have a friend stop by to spend time with her she kicks her out, tells her to leave and walks off from her. Any suggestions on how to get her to be…
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Sharing A Poem
I wrote this untitled poem in response to abc123, in hopes it provides her some solace, I hope it will for everyone. ********************************************************* I hold your hand because I still can Enjoy the love we share and all we understand I fill the bird feeder for you to still see The beauty you’ve…
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Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care
I have been watching her free series on Youtube and I have found her short videos really helpful as I care for my LO. Here is the video about Teepa Snow, who is an experienced educator of caregivers. https://youtu.be/aH9Ok0D6tKc Hope you are all enjoying the moments that are precious and make each day we have with our LO…
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Elder Care prohibits us from keeping patient from driving...
Here goes: my half-sister, Ann (not her real name*), has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. At her stage she cannot remember directions, appointments, addresses, and quite a lot else. (She is remembering familiar faces, so far.) She is also prone to hallucinations -- or perhaps she "remembers" things that did not happen --…
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My friend Ken shared this with me. He is just an amazing person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eWtqMomlRs&t=2s
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Sedative?
So we are at the point that I will not be able to change/dress my FIL without some sort of sedative. Two of us can do it, but not me alone. He’s too combative. I used Ativan (which we abandoned for nighttime because it worked initially then he was worse a few hours later) and waited 30 minutes. He was a little better.…
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Appetite
My loved one was always a good eater and always wanted meat and potatoes. That has changed. He doesn't want meat anymore. Mostly, he doesn't want to eat. Some sites have indicated that you should push your LO to eat, but keep them hydrated and maybe supplement with Ensure. Is it wrong of me to tell him he doesn't have to…
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A Report from the GLOBAL COUNCIL ON BRAIN HEALTH on BEHAVIOR CHANGE
I may have shared this but don’t remember. If I did please let me know and I will delete. Thanks https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/health/brain_health/2022-03/gcbh-behavior-change-report-english.doi.10.26419-2Fpia.00106.001.pdf
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Column: Dementia is a place where my mother lives
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/08/opinion/dementia-elder-care.html A beautiful write up by the daughter of a PWD who is in end stages titled "Dementia Is A Place Where My Mother Lives. It's Not Who She Is." It really struck me, having been through the end of my mother's life a few months ago. For those of you who had a…
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The Poetry
I want to thank everyone for sharing their beautiful heartfelt writings! I love to write and I do write poetry, but my stuff is kind of dark and angry because of my current situation. I REALLY do love how all of you poets just pave that silver lining! So thank you all so much!!
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Chat room(1)
Ha ha...I was just in the chat room thinking that was where I was supposed to be...I am new here. I feel really bad for the people who were in the chat room and got no responses. Everyone that was in the chat room left and I answered everyone's posts. So I talked to four walls in an empty chat room...this is why I am…
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Memory care location and family choices
How important is family contact for a memory care ward resident? Mom is Stage 5 and I'm seeing increasing dementia. I suspect within a year she will need to be in a memory care unit. Mom is a lifelong Florida girl, and my sister still lives in Florida. I'm in North Carolina. My sister has physical handicaps and may not be…
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Video cameras
Would greatly appreciate your advice on having cameras in the home. My mother lives by herself and I’m advocating to install cameras so I can check in on her. They also have talk function so if I see something, she falls, or my mom needs help, I can be there. My mom has a life alert watch but she forgets to put it on and I…
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From the NYT: Sizing UP Decisions of Older Adults
This may be behind a paywall for some-- Sizing Up the Decisions of Older Adults - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
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Alzheimer's Poem
Hello everyone, my mom has very late stage Alzheimer's and I wanted to share a poem with the community about my experience of the disease. I appreciate hearing from those of you who can relate. Thank you. Alzheimer’s Saying goodbye to someone alive Difficult to find the strength to thrive So many memories but so long ago…
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Remembers this but not that??
Hello all, I hope someone on this forum can explain. How is it my mom can’t remember her bodily functions but can remember the name of the new caregiver from days ago? Nothing makes any sense. I asked her how many times a day she’s changing her soiled adult underwear. She can’t tell me.
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Hello, Goodbye, and Thank you
I joined last year, but was lurking for a few months before my join date. My grandmother was the PWD and it was a long, scary journey. She lived alone since my grandfather’s death a decade or so earlier. That was probably when the wheels started to come off. She survived the Holocaust, but came out of it a sociopath. It’s…
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Finally a drug that shows cognitive improvement
For everyone out there who has a relative with moderate AD, I encourage you to apply for the Simufilam trials. Different caregivers (doctor and lawyer) give the same testimony about their relative improving thanks to the drug called Simufilam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VcIYyeUey8…
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PICC line plus fall risk disqualifying mom from nursing homes, what to do?
My 68-year old mom was moved into a memory care facility (MCF) in early February. She and my dad were slowly starting to adjust to the change. At this point, her memory was very bad, and she was upset that she had to stay at the MCF, but she was otherwise in great physical health, able to do self-care, eat, walk,…
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Happy Mother's Day
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. Hoping we will all find a moment of peace and search for something to be grateful for. I have come to realize that I have been waiting for my mother to die. My dad is doing the same thing. The nurse told me that she has seen it happen to other people when their LO gets to the stage my…
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FYI(12)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds3ob4bX2H4
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How do I not feel guilt and anger?
Hello, my mom (LO) has been in MC since March 2021, She lived with us for a year before her dementia and water on the brain worsened and became too much for us, home health, and nurses to take care of. She needed 24/7 care. Now that she has been there a year, I find myself feeling guilty for not seeing her as often as I…
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we really need help!
hi, i have not found any information regarding any kind of help with our problem. Let me tell you my story. I'm a 36 years old man, I came to US almost 6 years ago running away from the dictatorship that rules my country venezuela. I am only child, i got an engineering bachelor and brought my mom with me. My mom is the one…
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Advice please(6)
Hi all, my mom is in a memory care facility. She was aggressive and combative for a while. The doctor prescribed zyprexa. Since she’s been on it (6 months now) she has become so restless and can’t sit still. Also zombie like. However she is no longer aggressive. She also lost 6lbs in a month. It’s hard to see her so…
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Lesson to be learned: Document everything
Something to share: An Elder Care caseworker was assigned to investigate the living situation of my half-sister Ann, who has Alzheimer's. Yesterday Ann's daughter Jane spoke at length with the caseworker, and learned that the assignment came about because "a community member" (probably a police officer) feared that Ann was…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 5/6/22
DEAR FRIENDS, if you need a prayer, ask below. Hoping we pray for each other as we are asked to do. Peace always, Ronnie P.S. HeyD, I prayed for you., * PSALMS HEARD IN THE STORM * “CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART” Psalm 51:10 New King James Version “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”…
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Time for MC?
Hello all, TLDR: Mom is in the later middle stage of Alzheimers. Care is becoming difficult, is MC the right thing to do or are there better options? We have just signed a lease for our mom at a local memory care facility but I'm having so much doubt and guilt I'm getting even less sleep than usual and if I think about it…
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Normal to feel disconnected yet connected to a loved one?
Hi, It's been awhile since I was on this support message board. How is everyone? I am fine, just graduated from Miami Dade College with a Bachelor's degree in filmmaking. I am still working 2 jobs, hope to minimize yet be happy with one or even two jobs that are fulfilling mentally and financially. Anyway, the topic is it…
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New and needing direction
New to the site, but not to Alz. We lost Mom after an 8 year battle 3 years ago. Now our 92 y.o. Dad has it and I've relocated from out of state to help my sister care for him. I'm caring for him 12 hrs/day, 4 days week. Every day there's a new challenge, concern, issue, evidence of decline. How do I keep from feeling like…
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I'm not sure, but I think losing my mother in this way sort of ruined me. Perhaps I am just weak.
I first came to this forum over 10 years ago, when it became clear that mom's memory issues were more than just senior aging. She was always my best friend and the best thing that every happened to me, and I knew I would lose her one day, but I didn't know it would be like this. She was about 66 when diagnosed, and today…