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Compulsive behaviors
1st time here. My DW of 47 years is in final stages of dementia, she's on hospice. Mostly non communicative, incontinent, but can walk. She is on a liquid diet as she can't swallow solid foods. I am essentially her only caregiver. I can handle most things but she drinks too much, milk, water, protein drinks etc. Then she…
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I'm shaking as I write this
Today was supposed to be a happy day. I had invited some close friends over to thank them for all their help during my recent move. Right after they arrived the MC called. It was the social worker and her voice told me something was wrong. She told me my DH had tried to get too friendly with a volunteer. She said the…
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Pleasantly flabbergasted
just had to post this, sent to me this afternoon. I left my partner asleep as usual about 2 pm. The picture is nothing special, but she actually got up and for the first time ever (remember we’re 2.5 years in) joined a group activity! The director was as surprised as I was- hence the picture. Will wonders never cease….time…
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Broke my heart
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We were turned down for memory care for my DH at the CRRC where we live
My husband has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. We moved to a CCRC 8 months ago and paid the initiation fee to guarantee his care. Today I was called to a meeting and informed that the memory support facility here cannot handle his case. They now want to send him to another facility that requires 2 years…
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bio-identical hormones
Any practical experience here about bio-identical hormone therapy such as BioTe with your LO? My DH (mid-stage, EOAD) and I both have used this therapy for about four years, and I know there is a wide variety of thought about use, but I'm curious about experience by others, especially as it relates to the testosterone…
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He has moved out.
I am trying to follow up on my discussion “the straw that broke this camel’s back”. I have got him to move back to his condo but he his having a difficult time adjusting. He is capable of doing all his daily living functions…bathing, dressing, meals, driving, cell phone, etc. I cannot get him to understand and accept that…
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If I’m the caregiver, is he the caretaker?
What I’ve learned today … Just because my open thermos of coffee isn’t in the car’s cup holder after church doesn’t mean it was left behind. (We even turned around and drove back and went into church and searched for it. No luck. Figured it was just gone until hours later discovering that it had overturned on the passenger…
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The Cavalry Is Not Coming
Reposting for the new platform. I have not posted here for quite a while, and I want to let you know that I am still here. I hope you all are doing well, and I also have a thought process to share with you. October 1, 2022 will mark seven years since my wife’s dementia became obvious, and that I knew for certain that this…
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I'm beaten down
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Disability application
Hi! I'm new to the group, am a spouse caring for a loved one diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's (age 63). He is still working but it's getting harder. It seems like he should apply for disability, but I'm not sure where to start. I will need to help him a lot with this process, and I also work as the main wage earner,…
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MCFs - Larger MCF Facility vs Adult Care Home
I am starting to look at MCFs for my DH as a backup plan for now but I do think I’ll end up placing him within the next year. So far I have only looked at 3 institutional MCFs with 20-30 beds. Some people have suggested that I look at the smaller Adult Care Homes. My DH is very private, doesn’t always want to talk to other…
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Partner
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I want to back up
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I learned a new word today - anosodiaphoria
This means that a person is aware of their disorder, but they don't care. It's more common in people with brain injuries and frontotemporal lobe dementia. Anosognosia means that they are unaware of their condition or can't acknowledge how serious it is. The literature says that it's sometimes difficult to distinguish…
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Where is my…
This is not so much memory related but more eyesight and perception. Trying to wrap my head around it. In the last few months, my DH cannot see items he’s looking for and are in front of him. A perfect example today was him looking for his eyeglasses. They were on the dining table in front of him and he did not see them.…
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Some hope for the future?
My DS sent me this article about some promising research on Alzheimer’s. Like so many other things it’s only been tested with some success in mice so far but since at least one of the drugs is already been used for cancer, maybe it will prove successful in a shorter time.…
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Hallucinations
we have seen a change in lo hallucinations. Used to be occasional and mostly gibberish. In the last few weeks they have become more organized and coherent. And not always in the evening and during the night. Yesterday morning at 3am I had swim lessons lo was a WSI. Last night about 9:00pm lo gave a group of students to…
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Caregiving Supprt
I have read many discussions about how care giving has changed things for caregivers. We are moving in that direction. W had one person that came Tue Thur 4-8, but we never made it past 6:00 6:30, due to LO desire to go home or ………. Even with this experienced caregiver distracton redirect would only last 10-15 min. So…
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Shivering and shaking
DH is lounging next to me and sort of trembling, shivering or shaking so hard. I asked if he was cold, earlier and he said yes (it’s hot in here) but I put a blanket on him & he went to sleep. But now the shaking is back. Hospice on-call nurse said he’s not likely in pain which we are watching… especially his crumbling…
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My poor husband. Am I messing up?
DH is hospitalized for second time in less than a month. He was doing so well during day. Could carry a conversation with some difficulty, mostly continent, saw to his on ADL with some direction. We kept busy. He suddenly started having episodes of severe agitation in the evenings. I assume sundowning. He shoved me a few…
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Lequembi for Patients with two Copies of APOE4 Gene
I understand that the risks associated with Leqembi increase significantly when the patient has two copies of the APOE4 gene. Is there anyone in this category taking Leqembi, or is the associated risk too high?
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I need that word...
What is it called when the person with dementia doesn't think anything is wrong?
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A rapid decline?
My husband was diagnosed with MCI 2017 and diagnosed with mild/mod Alz on 4/24. The disease was progressing slowly. But since Jan, his symptoms are significantly worse. His MMSE scores dropped 4 points from Jan to April. And, in last few weeks, his symptoms suddenly worsened again. It’s like falling off a small cliff.Even…
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Rivastigmine???
My DH used to be on donepezil but the neurologist took him off of it because he also takes escitolopram for depression. He put him on rivastigmine instead because of concerns about interactions of the drugs. Just the other day, he doubled the rivastigmine dose to 3 mg (from 1.5) as my DH has been having hallucinations and…
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Hurt Feelings
My wife was admitted to a memory care facility 3 days ago. I'm worried about my oldest daughter visiting every day. She took a half day off today to be with her, and while I understand her desire to help, I'm concerned that her frequent visits might agitate my wife and make the transition more difficult. I've read here…
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Talking about sex
Ive talked about this before, he's tried Seroquel and Respirdone with terrible side effects at the lowest dose. He takes Buspirone and Prozac, he's happy, I drink more wine.
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Onset of bowel and bladder incontinence
My DH has mild to moderate dementia. Recently he has had a few instances of bladder and bowel incontinence. Not too often so far, fortunately, but I know this will progress. He seems unaware of what is happening, coming out of the bathroom to say "my underwear got wet" and ask for another pair, or sometimes saying it's not…
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Anger issues
Anger has not been an issue with my wife, but I have a friend whose wife does. She gets angry, shouting and making accusations. Then she isolates herself in her room and refuses to talk to anyone. She resists doctors and medication, so he may not be able to get her any treatment. My wife had a three-year obsession with…
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Looking for Support Group
I am a 51 year old single male co-caring for my mother with Alz along with her husband (my step father). Would love to find a in person or virtual support group for men like me who are facing issues surrounding the care of their parent(s) with Alz. and other age related issues. I am in WNY and volunteer for the local walk…