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Share your Story with the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer's Association is dedicated to ensuring that everyone facing Alzheimer's or another dementia is able to access a timely diagnosis, available treatment options and quality care throughout their journey. To better understand the barriers people currently face, we are looking for people to share their experience…
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Moved: ALZConnected Q&A Thread
This discussion has been moved.
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Facing a Diagnosis this Week
I am meeting with our neurologist this Thursday along with my husband. I have already heard from this doctor that my husband's recent scan is positive and is consistent with Alzheimers. It indicates frequent amyloid neuritic plaques. I am alternating between depression, fright and a will to rise up and be strong. Can any…
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Husband recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
I would love to hear from others who have been a caregiver for your loved one with what I need to do, be aware of, or what was the biggest help for you as you began your journey.
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Can I Contact My DH’s Doctor Directly?
My husband has his own PCP and this doctor is very strict out privacy rules. In the past he has said I need to go through my DH if I want to send messages to him. What do I need to do to have the authority to speak with the doctor on my husband’s behalf? Is this when the DPOA comes in to play? Should I provide a copy to…
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The day will come…
I saw this on Facebook and it could have been written by many care warriors here. The line that hit home to me is: “Have a plan then make another”. 💜 This moving commentary was written by a daughter, caring for her mother. Dear ones, The day will come when your loved one can no longer be alone. Not even for 5 minutes. The…
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FTD - Frontotemporal Specific Staging Tool (by Dr. Tam Cummings for FTD)
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Travel
My DH is about 5 years into it now, he was a very active, intelligent man. Now he mostly sleeps and watches TV. We have always traveled to Arizona from Mn. to avoid the harsh winters. We did share the driving but now of course, I do all of it. But Im worried how he will do on 4-5 days of travel and motels. I've read that…
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New to Alzheimer's
Hello all thank you for providing a network of caregivers to help guide others through this horrible disease. My grandfather was officially diagnosed over a year ago with Alzheimer's. I am his MPOA and am new to all of this. I am just wondering if anyone has any advice on the following. He has UHC Medicare Advantage and I…
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Alzheimer's Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act introduced in Congress
Saw this and thought I would share. It's a start and hopefully will lead to much more. https://www.alz.org/news/2025/house-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-asap-act-alzheimers-screening
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Lawyer appointment - successful
I met with a lawyer this morning regarding my sister's mismanagement of our mother's money. She is guilty of embezzlement and conversion. The remedy has to occur in stages. First the lawyer is going to send her a letter and suggest a payment plan, if she resists then we move in another direction. Also we, the other…
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Behavior/cognitive changes after discontinuing donepezil and memantine
My DH just entered hospice. He was on maximum dosage of both donepezil and memantine but the hospice doctor immediately wanted to discontinue donepezil and lower memantine with the goal of stopping it as well. First, let me say, it was obvious my DH’s physical ability was declining when he was screened for hospice, but…
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Mom is about to be homeless, how do we decide what to do?
Hi, my mom was diagnosed with ALZ just about a year ago, but we had been noticing decline for about a year before that. She has progressed significantly and now I believe is in early Stage 5, but with some characteristics from the later stages. She has been living with her partner (long term relationship, not married, they…
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Medicaid Cuts, Inside Info or Tea Leaf Readers?
Spoke to a Medicaid attorney about father's remaining $ and an irrevocable trust. You lose 1 month of Medicaid eligibility for every $10k you set aside (in CO). Problem is, $1 trillion cuts are set to go in effect 1/1/27 so the attorney said he can't guarantee any outcomes at this point. If those stay in effect, the care…
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Early onset Alheimer
My brother 62 has been diagnose with Early On Alzeheirs could someone share what does a through evaluation look like: what does the team who would look over his care look like: what are question he should be asking: I need specifics because as of now, his primary care doctor is making all the calls on his treatment plan…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 12/1/25
"FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG” 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 New Living Translation Paul's Words “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even…
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Does anyone else feel this way?
I’ve been on this site now 3 yrs ever since wife diagnosed with mild Dementia, I’ve read books seen videos and heard numerous stories on this site. Wife in stage 4-5. Still takes care of herself other then no driving and cooking and short memory has gotten worse and does get confused. My question is do any of you feel that…
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Terminal Lucidity?
My dad fell two months ago. Seemed to have accelerated Alzheimer’s. He pretty much stopped eating since and recently was only drinking very little. This past week he was admitted to hospital with severe dehydration. The dehydration caused his heart rate to accelerate to 130-140 and blood pressure to be lower at 95/60. I…
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Sundowning
Hello, I’m very new to this group and confused on this newly diagnoses of Dementia for my mother! We are still going through a lot of appointments and tests and we don’t have a actual diagnosis of what type of dementia my mom has but they are leaning more towards Lewy body because she has a tremor on her hand! My question…
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Not dementia but an aging game changer being tested
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/11/joint-cartilage-aging-osteoarthritis-therapy-research "A new study suggests it may be possible to regenerate cartilage lost to aging or arthritis with an oral drug or local injection, rendering knee and hip replacement unnecessary." Years away most likely but good news .
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From the NYT: A Different Type of Dementia Is Changing What’s Known About Cognitive Decline
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/health/late-dementia-alzheimers.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E8.jeiC.EuBZiHfxb5a8&smid=url-share An article about LATE, a recently recognized form of dementia.
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Anyone using Paxil for severe agitation?
My mom is 94 - diagnosed 11 years ago with Alz dementia. She has been in an advanced stage requiring full care for almost 10 years. Her neurologist advised us to try Paxil to help with her severe agitation. She is taking seroquel as well. She's starting throwing plates of food lately. Things are rough but I'm nervous about…
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Overwhelmed? It is the loved ones of those with Alzheimer's who bear the greatest burden.
It is the loved ones of those with Alzheimer's who bear the greatest burden, and often care for them at the expense of their own well-being. It is common for family members and loved ones to find themselves thrust into this nightmare completely unprepared and ill-equipped for it. Sadly, much will be damaged or completely…
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Medical Marijuana
I am the sole caregiver for my wife. Entering stage 7. RSO, gummies, or even flower. Will be helpful for anxiety of the patient and stress for the caregiver. I my case, the use of medical marijuana has added a dimension; a depth within myself and a enhanced relationship and empathy with my wife. Don't know how my wife or I…
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Refusing UTI treatment
she developed UTI and medical team gave her antibiotics without consulting us although she has signed medical directives refusing heath care treatment to prolong her life ,how could UTI be treated without antibiotics and let life take it’s course (don’t want her to suffer ) Would that be a good way to go if that was her…
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NYT Opinion Piece on Caregiving Crisis
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/opinion/caregiving-crisis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.308.kBxI.CmNVAb2397Tf&smid=url-share
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Sudden deterioration in memory and change in demeanor
Is it common for someone with Alz/dementia to have memory suddenly decline significantly? My Mom (96) has a show she LOVES to watch on TV - loves to the point that we have recorded every episode on her DVR and replay them continually. She talks about the star (local vet), wants to meet him, wants to see his clinic, etc.…
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Fights about the dumbest things
the person I share a house with for the last 11 years - not a spouse or a legal partner - was diagnosed about two years ago, didn't tell me for about a year. I am not an official caregiver but in essence I am. I am retiring now and wondering how I will cope. When I worked it wasn't so bad but now I am here all the time.…
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Find local services for the aged at the National Council on Aging
The following link will help you find local services based on your zip code https://benefitscheckup.org/ Or, you can find it through the NCOA website. Look for Benefits Checkup
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Counterpart to "out of sight, out of mind" is "I need to see it"
Many people know of "out of sight, out of mind", where if a PWD does not see something, it is forgotten. So I take anything that can cause problems and hide it, or stuff it into a bag to carry it away. An example is a bottle of meds where pills can be taken if I leave it out and I don't keep an eye on it. I hide it as soon…
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Is repeated aspiration pneumonia common?
My mothers MC facility called me a couple days ago saying they wanted to send her to ER because she had a persistent cough that was not getting better by her standard nebulizer. She has COPD. My dad passed away last year and most of mom's friends have died. She only has my sister (who has POA) and me. My sister spends two…
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Father in memory care one day loves it one day hates it
our family is on a rollercoaster with my father. He is in a memory care facility now. He calls one part of the day in good spirits and hours later he is agitated and irritated with the facility. He upsets my mother tremendously and she does not know how to handle it. She, herself, is recovering from a stroke, which is why…