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looking for advice for "chattering"
For a few weeks now, it has been non stop repetitive nonsense coming from my DW combined with the intense shadowing which means she is rarely more than an arm's length away. I know ALZ is not a mental illness, but that is certainly how it looks and feels. I get to listen to her lose her mind in real time, non stop. Nothing…
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Any tips for a caregiver to work out?
I’ve tried 5 caregivers. Every time, my DH (stage 6) likes them the first day, after that doesn’t want them around. Follows me everywhere very agitated. I’m tired and need help. Caregiver # 6 is starting Monday. So far she is the best I’ve seen, a CNA, works in hospice lots of experience. Very passionate about her work,…
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first visit to memory care
I made my first visit today to see my DW in memory care. She's been there just over a week. I was advised to stay about an hour and to arrange a signal with the staff so I could excuse myself "to go to the bathroom" and leave. It was hard and terribly sad to see her. DW said over and over, "I miss you so much." She asked…
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Jay Leno caring for wife with dementia
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jay-leno-stands-marriage-vows-faces-challenges-caring-wife-suffering-dementia
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Won’t let me help clean him up
This is not a nice topic, but you all know how it is in this forum. 😉 DH is at the point where he isn’t cleaning his behind well after using the toilet. We both have always closed the door when we used the bathroom throughout our long marriage. So now when I knock on the door and ask if I can come in or if he needs any…
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Long Geri-Psych Stay!
At the end of last month/beginning of this month, I posted that DH had a complete mental breakdown at his rehab center, where he was recovering from a fractured tibia. He was transferred to the local ER. Here's the update: After 2 days in the ER, on April 2, he was transferred to an inpatient Geri Psych facility. He's…
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Not eating , can the reason be because of knowing what lyes ahead ?
I 've read that with dementia that eating habits can change . Food tastes different , etc. etc . But my fear is that my DW is starving herself so not to put me or our family through the journey . Is there anyone else who has had this feeling or actually experienced this ?
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RAV phone
My husband can not work the simple Jitterbug phone any longer and I am thinking of getting him a RAV phone. They are $ but I need something for him in case of emergency. Does anyone have any experience with these - good or bad? Thank you
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Does Memory Care actually help
I obviously have been obsessing about memory care for months. My husband is probably late stage 5, can't do any ADL's without help, very bad arthritis so walking is difficult. We go to twice weekly exercise classes and various musical events and will occasionally take a short walk in a nearby canyon. He will walk short…
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The Mental Switch
Hey all, Many of you have talked about how at a certain point, you made a mental switch from loving spouse to loving caregiver…or something along those lines. I'm curious about how you've done that. My DW is getting more paranoid and complains about how "I'm not taking care of her needs", which means sitting next to her…
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Life Insurance
Just throwing this out there as food for thought….if any of you are caring for a loved one that is going through any issues related to AD and do not have individual life insurance, be sure YOU protect yourself and your loved ones for future health issues. Get an individual life policy that will potentially cover expenses,…
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Paranoia
DH is 62 and still working. He is constantly telling me that nobody at work talks to him and that I am making life decisions without him. He also is saying our adult sons don’t talk to him and our grandson that lives with us is different. Our grandson has not changed his interactions with DH. Is this paranoia? Is this part…
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Mental Illness dementia or something else
Hi everyone, I am still coping with my moms memory issues and diagnosis. I am truly baffled: her issues are so obvious to me, my one other family member who knows her, and the people in her AL. But when I bring her to the doctor, desperate to get her some kind of care of evaluation for her memory issues, they either…
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Just dropping by.
I've been around for several years, first as a caregiver for my mother, under a different name. About halfway through my caregiving journey with Mom, which lasted about a decade, I began noticing several red flags with my husband. Now others in our family are seeing those alarms, and we're also dealing with my…
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My favorite picture
Today we spent Easter together, just the two of us and looking at pictures. Pamella saw a picture of me and said that it was her favorite. She asked me if I had a favorite. I found one and said that was my favorite. It really made me think about what was really my favorite picture. After thinking about it and the favorite…
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APHASIA
I need some help. My DH has aphasia and his speech is getting so bad I can hardly understand him, he chats away especially at night and i have little or no idea what he is saying. Communicating with anybody else is so very difficult, most people haven’t got the time or patience to stop and try to understand him. It’s…
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Emergency Petition for Treatment
I want to thank all the people in my life who calls and checks on me and my LO as we go through this dementia journey. It’s been a tough 3 months since his broken neck, rehab, home therapy, and then now in a geriatric psych stay. Applying for an emergency petition for treatment through the courts was the hardest decision I…
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robotic pets - again
There are older threads that discuss the positive effects of giving a LOWD a robotic pet, such as a Joy For All puppy. I'm curious to know how long that batteries last.
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Been a long 6 years
My BH, age 65 now, is very close to the end of his journey. If someone has a “to do” list I would love feedback.
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Do I know the answer?
Today my DH said he had a dream last night about Montreal. He said “ don’t you remember when we were there” … it was him and his ex wife. Does it mean he’s mixing us up now?
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Hyperfocus on a Topic
My DW gets hyper focused on topics particularly when events, trips are forthcoming. She asks many times over a day/days regarding the calendar, who is coming, whats next etc. Writing it down, reviewing a calendar, white board or sticky notes isn't working as she knows to ask but can't retain the answer causing anxiety. Any…
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Startle response
My wife is in early to mid stage 7. When I arrived to see her she was sleeping but awoke shortly. After a short moment, her whole body jumped like she was startled. This happened about eight times within a couple of minutes. Does anyone know if this means anything?
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Nights are the worst...
I'm sure I'm not alone with dreading the nighttime and my DH with VD's increased agitation. He does well during the day but when he goes to bed, he is asleep within 5 minutes but his sleep is so restless. He is up and down all night going to the restroom, pulling, fighting with and getting entangled in the sheets and…
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visit with PCP
We had a regular visit with our PCP today. As is often the case, our loved ones are further along than we recognize or admit. I have my DW in early stage 6. The PCP evaluated both of us and said I should start looking into memory care facilities. The good ones have waiting lists and I am supposed to be prepared for the…
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Toileting Issues
I need some ideas … my husband (with Alz) is urinating while standing up and is terrible aim! I am tired of cleaning pee from the toilet, the back of the toilet, the floor, etc. multiple times a day. Does anyone know of a product that would cover those areas?
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My DH is getting increasingly aggressive and hard to handle
My DH is very restless and agitated, and always wants something to do. The problem is, when I can't go out with him - ex. at 6:00 a.m. today he wanted to go for a bike ride - then he gets loud and aggressive and says he will go anyway. Today he started for the door and said he was going. He gets lost in our apartment…
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Home care hopefully will help ?
After struggling with the thought of bringing in help only because so far my DW has made it clear that no one but no one was going to come in and help . She has stuck to she just wants me and her . Well I can't keep watching her get weaker because of not eating hardly, and if course I have not been able to get her bathed.…
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"Girlfriend" in Memory Care
DH has been in MC a little over 2 weeks, he just stopped packing up to go home every day, and seemed to be acclimating. Now, he is attached to a woman in MC! I know it happens often, and is supposedly innocent, but I have found them in his room. It is not so innocent. His wedding ring is missing, today, when I went to…
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I moved DW to memory care (part 1)
This is my (very long) saga of moving DW to memory care, and how we reached that point. I hope you will find it interesting, if not useful. I used to participate in this forum until a few months ago. Then DW's condition made it impossible. She needed my attention, demanded my attention. I remember reading other people's…
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Advice!!
I am new to the group and need advice. My Mom has late stages Alzheimer’s and has been able to be alone for part of the day while I work. This week every day she has been scared, anxious and leaves the house and then cannot figure out how to get back. I have a caregiver but she only comes from 12 to 1 as that is all I can…