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I failed as caregiver today
Yesterday I picked up a nasty cold and had a really rough night last night trying to sleep. This morning my wife (who has Alzheimer's, stage 5) had another emotional meltdown. Partially accusing me of of keeping her here at our house to kill her or some such nonsense. I am at low ebb, having little to no patience this…
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Dressing and Laundry
My DW has a very had time dressing. She will put 2 (and sometimes 3) tops/blouses/sweaters, wear pants and a dress at the same time; put her clothes inside out, and/or front and back reversed; you name it, it's all a mess. And the worst part is she will not let me help her fix it after I tell her. She wears earrings that…
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Imaginary People in Our House
My DW sees imaginary people in our house at all hours. Right now at 10 AM she is talking to them and telling them to get out. She asks me ifi they are my friends and why I let them in. I am at odds at how to deal with this every day and night occurrence. I welcome any input you may have to help me deal with this. how have…
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Just Sharing
It's been about 4 months since I've been on this forum. With the start of our 9th year since ALZ diagnosis, I just felt like I needed to share. I apologize for rambling. I recognize that everyone's journey is unique, so you may be able to relate or you may not. But I'm sure, as caregivers for your loved ones, you…
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Night time wakefulness
I’m looking for any suggestions about how to deal with my DH’s newly developed night time waking. I know many of you have dealt with similar issues and hope you can provide some ideas. My DH is wheelchair dependent and cannot get in or out of bed independently. I have a hoyer lift and can get him into bed by myself using…
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Just need to talk to my friends (215)
Happy February! I'm glad January is over. Maybe February will be a better month for weather and everything else. Only six more weeks until Spring. Almost time to order caladiums. Hopefully, the daffodils are okay after the freezing weather we have had this past week.
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reasoning
when logic fails https://www.facebook.com/reel/1219377039793212
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Light therapy
Does anybody have experience with light therapy. I am looking to purchase a 40 hz therapy light and a 10000 lux light box for my husband. I have read good things about using light therapy, I was wondering if anybody has had experience with this
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Ideas? Traveling and getting alone time.
My DH was diagnosed 1 1/2 years ago with Alz. Early to mid stage 5 is my best guess. He is still able to care for himself and do small projects and tasks around the house. Although he doesn't like to talk about it, he is very much aware that he is progressing. In April we are taking a 2 week trip to Japan to visit my…
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What is next
New member here Spouse is somewhere in 5 or moving into 6of the seven stages. What is coming next? Is it time for respite care? She just said she did not know my name or that we are married. Sleeps all the time ,moves slowly, eats little. Takes her meds if I am there to watch. Showers when I remind her but now needs help…
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How do I get him to accept respite care
I need respite but he refuses to go. What to do?
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New to this whole thing
My husband was just diagnosed 4 months ago and we have been spending most of our time learning and trying to find every way we can do full progression or trying to get into clinical trials, we had so many plans. So many dreams.he is 62 and I will be 62 in the summer And after years together, we finally got married this…
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Afraid
My DH diagnosed with Alzheimer's has become increasingly agitated, even on meds. We meet with a neurologist every 6 months and the agitation has been ongoing for several years, although not this extreme. On Friday the neurologist nurse and I had a phone conversation to discuss the agitation, she suggested calling 911 or…
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Now a Chef
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be 100% responsible for planning the meals. My DW of 65 years can no longer remember how to so here I am saying my God what do I put together now. I can fix simple stuff but just can't eat the same thing over and over. I take her out to eat often but just can't do…
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The Cavalry Is Not Coming: 9 Year Edition
This is an updated version of The Cavalry Is Not Coming. I repost this occasionally as I have been informed that this article has helped many caregivers. This edition is mostly the same, although I have brought it up to date and revised it to make it more helpful. October 1, 2024 marked nine years since my wife’s dementia…
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Driving
DH is 62 and has FTD semantic variant. I unfortunately had to turn him in to the DMV. He doesn’t know it was me. He had his evaluation Friday and they suspended his license. He is angry and doesn’t feel he is far enough in that he is unsafe to drive. He drives a lot for work so I am not sure what his plans are for that.…
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Hospice/burned out.
My DW is in hospice now. She doesn't really understand what is happening to her. She doesn't eat regularly and doesn't sleep. Her skin is turning a yellowish color. She can only stand up to use her walker if someone is there to help lift her, then she can take 3 to 4 steps before sitting down. The care home is wonderful…
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OVERLOADED WITH INFORMATION / NEWLY DIAGNOSED
My husband was recently diagnosed at age 64 with EOAD. It has been 6 months since diagnosis, and I will say it is very overwhelming. Sometimes I just have to stay off the internet / social media. I feel like 98% is all negative. I am just surviving the now. And trying to be present and accept the now. Everything is…
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How People Can Help
Often friends will ask how they can help. For the ones that my husband doesn’t know well I let them know just checking in on me helps. And for the ones he does know the best help is taking him out of the house (for a walk or lunch) on a regular basis. It gives me time I can count on to focus on myself or errands, and it…
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Hallucinations
New to the forum. Excited to have a resource like this. My wife has early onset Alzheimer's. Her life is so disrupted by another person that she believes lives with us. She believes that this person steals and eats her food, steals and drinks her drinks, sleeps in the bed with us, wears her clothes, and on and on. She…
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Figetting
My DW is in stage 5/6 and will not sit still. Is there any medication that will calm her down.I have constantly follow her around and it's exhausting!
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How to find people to stay with DH when I need to go out
Hubby was diagnosed recently with mid stage Alzheimer’s. He needs 24 hour supervision, and though friends have said to let them know if I need anything, I find it hard to ask for help. Most aren’t available during the week, so I have left him alone to run an errand or go to an appointment, usually not for more than an…
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Looking for advice ..
DH has VD from previous strokes and poor CV health. We have Kaiser Senior Advantage and supplemental insurance from his work. He is an army vet but never signed up for VA medical after separation. I would like to get him signed up for VA medical, not necessarily for drs visits or meds, but down the road as he progresses he…
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Trying to leave the house
My DW who is 67 years old is in stage 5 with some aspects into stage 6. I have my daughter at home to help me so I can run errands from time to time. Just about every time I leave (only for a hour or less) my DW wants to leave the house. My daughter tries to prevent her from leaving but then my DW gets aggressive towards…
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How do you deal with the trauma of witnessing this disease take over your LO?
It has been 10 years since I knew in my heart that mom had this disease, and that hoping her behaviors were brought about by something else no longer made sense. Before any doctor weighed in, I just "knew". Until two years ago, I watched my dad care for her at home. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. My…
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Adamant LO refuses to move!
I started to notice the cognitive decline of my mother in 2016, she blamed her issues on taking care of my step dad & his declining health. He passed 5 months later. She lived in their home until the pandemic was over & then moved closer to me, my sister is out of state. When she moved, she refused to look at any…
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My spouse can’t stop eating.
He goes out several times a day to buy food. He has hypertension and heart disease. He eats highly salted food. I am afraid he will have a stroke. Any one relate?
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Incontinence pants
just saw an ad on line for Dryment incontinence pants. Anyone know about these, are they all they say they are ? Thanks for your input!
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Problem when we walk or bike
I feel like I’m being really whiny lately (and maybe “wine-y also 😉) but I have another question to pose to this group of creative thinkers. This has happened a few times now and I am not handling it correctly. We’ll be walking or biking and he wants to go a certain way. Ok, we go that way. But as we get farther away from…
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Alzheimers and PCA
My husband was dx with moderate Alzheimers and Posterior Cortical Atrophy. He will not admit there is anything going on with him. He has difficulties seeing his food, car door handles among other things. I was giving him Memantine and Donepezil, and I had to titrate him off because he was refusing to take. We are going in…