Caring For a Spouse or Partner

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Happy October!!! One of my two favorite months. We always took a weekend trip to Eureka Springs to see the pretty leaves. I miss that. We had some rain overnight, not nearly enough. I only see see two puddles. It is nice and cool though. Ron, so sorry your weekend celebration didn't turn out so well. Hope you're feeling…

my DH was recently diagnosed with MCI. Areas of weakness are recall and processing. I’ve been noticing when he drives he’s slowing down at all intersections even if the light is green. He says he has to make sure no one is coming. I feel safe riding with him but wondered what you all thought about him driving our 3 year…

I am going to explode! The person doing the testing needs a caregiver, she can't remember anything. I hope there's brilliance in there somewhere. LO has showcased and in the interview together gave me the finger and denied it. Lied and when I said the truth, calmly denied it. Have you ever had that feeling during an…

10/26/2026 After extensive visit and exam with admissions nurse, we went into hospice mode. I had not, (as I am sure many of you had similar experience) planned on that being best choice for her. I thought we were just getting some help with her health care. I am so very thankful I looked into getting help and got the gift…

After participating in many support groups and hearing how many caregivers have gone in to therapy, I asked them a few questions and asked if therapy had been helpful. The overwhelming response was YES! They don't know what they would do without a therapist. My husband has mild to moderate dementia, but the bigger problem…

Isaiah 30:21 NIV GOD GUIDES US 21 "Whether youturn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” CAREGIVERS, BAD THINGS HAPPEN. OUR WORLD IS BROKEN. DON'T DESPAIR. God is all-powerful, and He cares for us. Things may seem terrible right now, but God is still…

My husband was diagnosed last spring with Mild Alzheimer's. He is mostly independent. I suffer from depression and I just know I will not be able to handle this disease as it progresses. We have been more like roommates for many years now. I am 63 and he is 77. I feel like my future is over. I feel I need to get a divorce…

We have finally reached the point where full time memory care is what my DH needs. He is still aware enough to know what this is but is now starting to have angry outbursts and incontinence. I still have to work full time so I have finally come to the place it is better for him and me to do this. With that being said any…

My Dh had a bad day yesterday. Was talking to him and things seemed off. Took his bp is was 151 over 119 pulse 50. Had him lay back in recliner redid his bp half hour later. 121over 40 pulse 50. Very sleepy. Slept till 530 then his bp was back to normal. What was so weird is that he said he was outside his body standing in…

My DH had his annual memory testing and it had declined from 20 to 13. I don’t know the name of the test given but it is quite extensive. The perfect score is 30. His doctor said with a score that low, they stop the annual testing. He will now just go for checkups. He was diagnosed about 8 years ago and had not declined a…

I’m having a terrible time getting my DH to brush his teeth and am desperate for suggestions. Have others had the same issues? His last dental exam and cleaning showed 2 cavities and I fear more are to come. This aversion to brushing has been developing for quite awhile now.

My partner is having increasing problems completing tasks. For example, she is very intent on making our bed, but has now put the top sheet over the blanket rather than beneath it. It doesn't matter to me, and I am wondering whether this is something not to bother pointing out, as this tends to provoke a range of emotions,…

I am new here. My husband of 45 years was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s-mild to moderate. He has always taken care of all our finances. He refuses to give up control to me. We have a will that gives me medical and financial Power of attorney if he is incompetent, but he insists he is fine. He also has bipolar disorder.…

I am a new caregiver to my spouse who is only 70. After my husband quit his job in April (walked out after 17 years without a word) the signs that I had been seeing occasionally became so extreme. He had a urine infection that became septic and he became enraged. I sustained injuries. He was hallucinating and delusional…

I have always been a minimalist when it comes to medications. As my husband's mixed dementia got worse and his behavior became more aggressive I consented when his doctor suggested more drugs. The drugs helped in that we were able to care for him without getting punched or kicked. The drugs likely shortened his life, but…

I have given in to the fact that I need help. So, I'll be meeting with a home health organization hopefully next week. For those who have not reached this point, I have done all I can, to the point of jeopardizing my health. If you are at this stage, please understand that you have done nothing wrong. What good are you to…

Sorry for this long-winded posting, I welcome and appreciate any and all responses. My DW is 79, diagnosed with AD earlier this year but started showing signs 3-1/2 yrs ago, currently probably stage 4? She can still handle most of her basic ADL's but no longer drives, cooks, pays bills, etc.. Her anxiety/ agitation/…

My DH is 75 and was very recently diagnosed with AD. He is in early stage, but we live in a forest with a 5 mile gravel road to the nearest city. His doctors are 45 minutes away. I'm a little older and not in the best of health either. He has always been the driver. Now I worry about living so far out with an uncertain…

Doctors most point of concern: weight loss= 13% over 6 months equaling 10 pounds. Feeding tube mentioned, I ask Dr. if she is in any real danger at this moment, or do I have time to try something else. She said give it a try and be back in 3 months unless needed before that time. CWB

In the last week or so, DH has been trying to pick up things that are only the pattern in either the floor, bedspread, or countertop. Even in the car floormat. Is this like seeing things that are not there? Is it a concern?

My DH has dementia for several years which is getting worse. I am very angry about how this has changed my life and often engage him in arguments and yell at him. How can I help myself to stop this behavior?

It has been five months as of January 16 since my dear wife went to sleep for the last time holding my hands. The journey since has been difficult, painful, sleepless, guilt ridden, an abundance of tears at unexpected moments, lonely, oh so lonely and as the previous month began to wane, I found a day here or there when I…

When I think about placing my DH into some level of care facility these thoughts come to mind: I won’t be able to as long as he still knows me . I can only place him if I dislike who he has become and no longer want to care for him. I think I am an awful person for hoping one of those things happen sooner not later.

Hello all. Although we've been dealing with short-term memory issues for nearly 10 years, my wife of 22 years was diagnosed just over a year ago with MCI, then ALZ about 2-3 months ago. She's 53. So we fit squarely in the early onset category. I know patience is the #1 need in a caregiver, and I'm doing my best, and trying…

Hi there, Hoping someone can relate to what I’m currently experiencing. Backstory—DH age 68 with mild cognitive impairment with pending additional neurological tests and neuropsychological consult. Deficits are speech, executive function at this point. He has always wanted to do stuff together-going places, out to eat, for…

My DH is mild AZ with anxiety. I accepted my 24 yo granddaughter into our home to stay for a few months while she gets settled into her new job and finds a place to live. It’s been good at times but frequently tense and not light and easy for her as my DH has low tolerance for interruptions to his routine… especially after…

The time has come. Wednesday I’ll drive to the best possible memory care I could find that’s also commutable, and I’ll walk in with my DW of 43 years. I know I’ll walk out and she will stay. She’ll be angry with me, eventually she’ll forget that she is. But will she remember the love we have, and the humor between us, at…

How should I respond to the same question multiple times everyday.

Our last caregiver we had lasted 4 months. She was great, then things fell apart. I won’t get into the whole story but another “client” started demanding more time due to breaking an ankle. Over the 2 weeks she just slowly decreased her time with us, then one day didn’t show up with no phone call or anything to alert us to…

As we're figuring out/deciding on which infusion strategy for DW, her cardiologist wants her to use a BP monitor for daily or twice daily reads since her BPs are trending higher. Their office recommended "any home device." (thanks for being so helpful /s LOL) We have very little room to store a big arm cuff unit so we're…