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Can others understand?
I think I know the answer… but friends and family are interested and care for me and my DH, but when they say things like “I understand, my mom had memory issues and I had to help her twice a week“ I realize they have no idea of what it’s like to be the sole caregiver at home for your life partner. We’ve not (yet) been for…
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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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Bathroom bar & chair??
I’m having bathroom renovated. Taking out tub and just shower. I think this will be better for my hubby. Should I have them install the bar to hold onto and chair or just the bar? I had a chair to put in tub but hubby didn’t care for it. That was months ago. It may be something he needs as time goes on. And I have choice…
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Respite recommended
At my last Dr visit she recommended that I utilize respite care for my DH because she thought after all these years (14) I deserved a break. I called the facility DH attends day care at two days a week. The director answered my many questions and when I asked the cost I discovered how valuable my caregiving time is. The…
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what dementia has taken from us
This is really a follow-on to the Angry discussion. On top of losing the PWD, we lose the joy of some of the activities we shared. In our case it's gardening. I'm not angry, but I am very sad. DW and I have been gardening since we met and had a place to do it. She usually took care of the flowers, and I usually took care…
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Time to Say Goodbye
DW turned the corner this morning. She has been in memory care since last August and has been in hospice care since January. She qualified for hospice since she has both advanced (stage 6) EOAD and cervical cancer (stage unknown). When checked by the hospice nurse this morning DW was virtually unresponsive but her vitals…
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Angry
Just. So. Angry.
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Freaking out somewhat
My DH is currently in a locked behavioral ward next to the ER at a local hospital. He’s had a series of escalating aggressive behaviors, so I finally decided he needed to get his meds adjusted at a Geri-psych ward. An ambulance took him from his memory care to the hospital this morning. He will be admitted later tonight to…
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Seeing my DH tension
My DH spends all his time outside sitting,alone. He was diagnosed with alzhimers this year, i n the mild stage. He's lost alot of weight. Today I mentioned his pants were to big. You could visibly see him tense up. He gets that way anytime he is ask a question. Just aggravated. Is this normal? He does nothing. The…
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WALKERS/CANES/ROLLATOR
I am going to the VA on May 3 to see if I can be fitted for a taller cane and walker and rollator. I am almost 7 feet tall and the ones I bought on my own are not tall enough me I have to walk slightly bent over and it causes me some back pain hopefully the VA can help me. It is bad enough that I have ALZ I am going to see…
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Dementia Phone
Maybe you all know about this but just in case it would be a help to someone I am sharing. When my husband couldn't use his cell phone anymore nor learn another simpler version, I found a cell phone specifically for dementia patients. It is called a RAZ phone. I purchased it a couple of years ago for about $400. You have…
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Checking in... post-diagnosis frustrations...
Good Morning Everyone. I so appreciate the posts I've read this morning. It is comforting to know that my feelings are normal. I am feeling so powerless these days. As if the diagnosis isn't enough to deal with, it's dealing with healthcare, insurance, the government and lawyers. It's enough to drive anyone mad. Then add…
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Colon cancer screening -- yes or no?
My husband recently got a colon cancer screening kit in the mail from his doctor. His Alzheimer's has progressed to the point that he can't follow even simple instructions, but he's cognizant enough to push back if I try to do too much to help him. He refuses my help with the kit, but he's also obsessed with it. He woke me…
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Can’t sleep
I’m still struggling with my DH’s son and friends denial of DH dementia. Today we attended our granddaughter’s music recital. Afterwards, we were invited over to granddaughter’s house. I felt it was important to accept. My DH ex wife was there and they started talking about driving. My DH went on about how he had to take…
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The Physical Part of Progression
Greetings from my corner of overwhelm and sadness. My DW has begun to show more signs of entering stage 6. She may already be there and mostly I don’t care if I have her in the right stage. Each stage sucks and everyone one of them has included a deeply painful element or elements to it. Though she pops back in to being…
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DH got evaluated at memory clinic
After 5 yrs of declining health, cognitive impairment diagnosis 3 years ago and 2 strokes in the past 2 yrs, DH finally got evaluated at memory clinic. Surprisingly clinician Saud he did not see alz. Cognitive impairment and possible early VD. His short term memory is getting much worse, understanding of language is a real…
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Newly diagnosed AD in DH
Early stage AD, we're told. He's still functional but it's been obvious something wasn't right because he would complain about not being able to focus on his newspaper. If he loses that and driving he will be difficult. I finally got him to the primary and then testing last fall. We finally got a PET scan last month and…
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Big Ol' pile of .....
YUP, you guessed it poop!!!! This week's new thing started. As of Monday morning my bf (44yo eosa) has been having an issue with just his first of the morning bathroom duties. Today is my day off and I was so excited to get to sleep in ... haha at 6am I woke to him in the bathroom. (In my head ... SWEET HE DID IT!!) Then I…
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Wondering if I'm a trigger for my DW at MC
I try to visit my DW every day or every other day at her MC. She's always glad to see me and I her but it's always so difficult when I leave. She either wants me to stay with her or go with me and she gets hurt and upset when I tell her I have to leave now. She still cries telling me "I just want to go home!" I think she…
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Driving Battles Continue
@kimeche …I can relate and unfortunately it is extremely dangerous for him to drive and we as caregivers are held responsible for their actions, not to mention the unbearable burden of guilt you’d have if he killed somebody. I’m sorry, I am in the same exact spot.💜 And now my rant for the day—My DH got a letter from the…
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Needing guidance
Still at the beginning of this journey ( well officially at least). DH 57 with EOAD confirmed via PET scan. He has his neuropsyche evaluation in June. We had a trust, advance directives, durable POA drawn up several years ago ( before everything). I called a CELA to have it looked over and make sure everything was in line.…
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Help
My wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in March 2023. I can see she is slowly declining...I'm the only caregiver right now and also work a very stressful full-time job. I'm worried about getting to a point where she will need constant care. I absolutely have no idea what to do...I've heard nightmare stories that we'll go…
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Calling all doctors
DH’s behavior, both at home and at day care, has become more challenging lately, so I contacted his neurologist to request a medication adjustment. He has been on citalopram for a year, currently at 15 mg/day. He also takes 10 mg of donepezil (Aricept) daily. The doctor’s NP said that because of the possible effect of…
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Will Robotics and AI Be the Future of Elder Care?
https://www.elderlawanswers.com/will-robotics-and-ai-be-the-future-of-elder-care-19713
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Lithium and Trazodone
DH is currently on trazodone 50mg at night for sleep. He has been dealing w a significant infection in his ear and now jaw for the past several months which has created more (understandable) anger and irritation than is his normal daily snarls and growls. Infectious disease doctor yesterday recommended antidepressants…
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Update on husband and hospice
My husband has been on hospice care for about a month and a half. I definitely didn't think he was ready and was truly surprised when he was approved. I've been blown away by the level of care. His nurse comes weekly and is so good with him. The CNA showers him twice weekly. The social worker, chaplain, and music therapist…
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Referral for CELA s
it is so difficult to choose a good elder care attorney. It is like taking shots in the dark. . Does anyone have a recommendation for Wisconsin or Indiana? So appreciate it.
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Sleeping late
Hubby used to get up 9-930 and used to go to the gym. He hasn’t been to gym for one year. Now he sleeps until 11:30-12. I do not bother him. A few times I’d ask him if he wants to go to gym but he doesn’t want to get out of bed. Some days he asks if he still goes to gym and I explain I’ve tried getting him up. He tells me…
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Re-posting in it’s own thread
Hi So comments in this thread (about anosognosia) are hitting home right now. But I need clarification. At what stage or point do you feel your SO is when you start noticing cognitive issues such as it is hard for them to talk to others, avoiding large groups, saying his brain isn’t working, not able to form sentences,…
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Seroquel Dose
My DH has been taking Seroquel for about 2 1/2 months now. I give him 25mg at 5:00pm every day. He falls asleep about 6:30pm or 7:00pm in his chair, and I wake him at 10pm to go to bed. He sleeps all night. It’s been wonderful for diminishing hallucinations and delusions and the anxiety that goes with those. BUT, most…