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NYTimes Article: NH False Reporting to Medicare.gov Ratings To Increase Their Scores
Five star ratings on Medicare.gov that families depend on when choosing NHs? Not so fast; all may not be what it seems since NHs do their own reporting, providing numbers in data and no one checks its accuracy . . . . . This is something I have ranted about for ages; yet, I still found this lengthy article stunning in its…
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Our family meeting
We had our family meeting yesterday, via zoom. I wanted to bring the family up to date on my wife's progression, in case decisions had to be made if I was not available. Towards the end of the meeting, one of the kids asked me how I was doing with my hypoglycemia. I told them that was one of my big concerns now because I…
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for St Patrick's Day
DW and I are both Irish Citizens so I made O'Key lime pies for her for St Patricks Day
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School, Husband and What to do?
I am a teacher and of course during the past year due to the Covid 19 pandemic I have been teaching from a little corner in my home office. There have been some issues with my DH walking in while I have my class on the screen in Google Classroom and quickly muting and turning off my camera to assist with his needs but for…
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Fall Detection Devices?(1)
Hi all. Now I'm looking into fall detection devices. Some of them seem to have all these services I don't need. IF I am running to the store for 45 minutes (which I can still do), I want him to be wearing a device to monitor falls. I do not need a GPS for location (he's not that mobile, doesn't wander, and I'm usually…
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Confused?
MMy DH has AD , diagnosed 2016. This January I had COVID, so sick! Managed to make it through caring for DH who also was positive. After 14 days and incredible fatigue we were out of quarantine. March 1st I had symptoms of UTI and fever, chills . DH forgets why I am on the couch, or that I am sick.. On my 2nd antibiotic…
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Just someone to talk to about Dementia
Hi I am new to this and have not joined a support group until now. My DH has Parkinson’s with Dementia. He started getting Parkinson’s symptoms around 55 and finally after starting to have hallucinations he had to go to the ER. That was in 2019. So he did not do anything about this until about 6 years, he was scared. He…
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Trying to smile when it is breaking your heart
I was visiting my DH this evening at the Advanced Living Facility. I had a long day accompanying my brother to the Mayo Clinic for the day and I couldn't wait to get back to town to see him. He was finishing dinner when I arrived. It was so hard to see him sitting at the table alone. All the other residents had finished…
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Memory lane card game
Dr. Natalie has come up with a way to engage with your LO. Check out the link to see what you think. Digital copies are only $9.99, or you can order hard copies. https://www.careblazers.com/cards
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Button down your Plan B! When the caregiver goes down.
Thursday, I got my second dose of Moderna COVID vaccine. Felt a little cold during the night, achy, arm was tender. Friday more of the same, but I managed a trip to the store and usual care for DH, but just felt tired, sluggish, wonky. At 3:30 PM, waiting at the bus stop for my granddaughter, I passed out cold! Luckily, I…
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Continence issues
Greetings all, We are in a new phase! Incontinence, mostly at night. DH is wearing the CVS version of Depends (didn't like the Depends), but he is definitely leaking through, thus we are beginning an unwelcome sheet-changing at O-dark-thirty regimen. Do I insist on Depends? Is there something else? Do you double up? What…
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How do you manage not to lock yourself in the same silence as your Alzheimer spouse ?
My partner talks less and less and when he says something, the information is very limited. Moreover, he has nothing to say when I ask questions. When he goes to the adult daycare, he doesn't know what he did there, when his family calls him, he can't tell me what the news is... When I talk to him, I can see that he…
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What would you do?(1)
It might not be too far in the future when DW has to be in a facility. Hoping that doesn't happen, but I want all my bases covered if it does. The way I see it is that if needed, she could go into a memory care facility that offers good care, or she could go into a nursing home that is questionable. MC would be more…
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Donepezil and cold
I already posted about coughing. My partner often cough. I think it began more than a year ago. The doctor sent us to do a lung and sinus X-ray. I delayed because I was sure if the result and finally we did it. Nothing, I knew it. No, it’s more as an allergic cough. He also blows his nose all the time, even in summer.…
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Blog
There is a great blog written by a lady in England whose husband Ash has dementia. It is called Memory for two. She has an amazing way of looking at life and seems to be able to turn things around and make something positive out of them. I am inspired each day I read it. She also has a Facebook page.
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My friend is starting this journey, I vent
When we moved into our house 32 years ago, we got lucky. Our next door neighbors are great people and have been our good friends the whole time we have lived here. We even have a bluestone paved path between our two houses. As DW’s dementia was worsening, our neighbors were very supportive and helpful. A few years ago, Dan…
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Life Balance
I have been using Noom to lose weight and make healthy decisions in my day to day life. I’ve copied one of the lessons below. As I read this with our situation in mind, I was struck by how much is applicable, and how inapplicable the rest is! I hope you find it interesting. Sorry about the font; I can’t change it on the…
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How long since your LO recognized you ?
According to my notes the last time DW knew my name, knew her own name, or recognized me standing in front of her was March of 2019. Two years ago. The only relief I have about the last Covid year is that she does not miss me at all. I am nothing to her. She is not suffering. I see her on Face Time 5 days a week. That…
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Having to be devious and feeling guilty
My partner so much wants to still be functional and so isn't. I'm finding I have to go behind her back to have conversations with multiple people just to keep things in the road, and while I know it's the right thing to do, it takes an emotional toll. There are a lot of looming spring chores on the farm that she's normally…
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neurologist visit(1)
DH had a neurologist visit yesterday. (This morning he asked me if he had gone or missed the visit. He checks the calendar every day.) He's slid downhill since the last visit and a new med (memantine) was added. But, before we left, the neurologist did something I didn't expect. He turned to me and asked how I was doing.…
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Have you ever seen a man in a woman's panties? It was my surprise this morning !!
I had a very difficult week and worked a lot. I was very tired yesterday. Yesterday my partner was alone in the house while I had a jury on zoom in my room. I heard his tablet, lord of the rings as usual... and very loud. As he could not turn down the sound he went to his room and I did not see him again until the…
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Repeating most everything he hears on TV
This began maybe 9 months ago. We are watching TV in the evening and he repeats the lines constantly. Sometimes he is all that I hear. Because of his hearing, he sometimes doesn't repeat it correctly, but it's close. I am amazed he can remember the lines at all! If I leave the room and come back and ask what happened, he…
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Medicaid basics and finding an elder law attorney
https://www.elderlawanswers.com/medicaids-coverage-of-nursing-home-care-18200?
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Coralie, McCott, and Jo C.
Has anyone heard from them? I know Jo posted not too long ago, but she wasn't feeling very well. It's been a little longer for McCott, and she has had major problems. Coralie has not posted for some time, and she had more than her plate full of physical problems. I hope things are OK with all of them.
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Hello(3)
Although this is my first post, I am not new to the forum. I’ve been gleaning useful information as well as comfort from many of you for over a year. I decided it’s time to come out of the shadows and introduce myself. DH and I have been married 40 years. I am 59 and he is 60. He was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s…
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Hospital to long term care...so hard!
My DH has been in the hospital for close to two weeks for his rapid deterioration physically and mentally due to dementia. It's been a grueling process for both of us. DH still has no understanding about his dementia. Thank goodness my state (KS) has protections in place for spouses regarding finances; however, I'm still…
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Just need to talk to my friends (141)
Morning, Time for #141 - time goes fast. Sara, remind me why you've been in quarantine, please. I know you don't get out too much either but you'll be glad when you can go if you want to. Ron, so you're enjoying Blue Bell. Have you had any problems with it? We used to eat that kind of ice cream all the time until the…
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Well I got one question answered
Joining this forum last summer helped me realize that we needed to get on the stick about updating our legal documents. Mine needed to be changed because she can no longer function as my poa or executor, and hers needed updating because of changes in family circumstances-and because she had invalidated her previous will by…
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Don't know what subject to put
It's been a while since I have posted anything. Each time I think I'll post something, something else happens and I think maybe that's the thing to post about. Then the next day it's something else. Things haven't been too bad recently but there are some things that are hurting me very much. One of those things is DH…
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Walking the tightrope
Some days I feel like I'm walking a tightrope. Most of DH's sentences are like playing some sort of game like Scattegories. I have to try and figure out what he's talking about, without asking too many questions. There's that fine line.....I can ask questions, and risk him flipping out on me, or I can just fake like I know…