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Interesting Article on Liver Disease and Dementia Misdiagnosis
The attached article is about Liver Disease and Dementia Misdiagnosis. I actually have a close friend who was diagnosed with an unspecified dementia and he lost his job, home and driver’s license due to his cognitive decline. A few years after his dementia diagnosis he was treated for Hepatitis C with one of the newer…
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Looking for memory facilities-what to look for
I am starting the unbelievable search for a facility for my DH. He is not there yet but I don't want to wait until he is in crisis. Any suggestions? This is breaking my heart and is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. To admit I can't take care of him anymore is killing me.
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Respite
I'm a nearly two weeks out from my magical respite. I hope to never forget the feeling of those days alone, knowing my DW was having fun with her family. My stress and anger and despair was alleviated in a huge way from it. The flip side is that it's made room for grief again. I've been crying like crazy the past few days.…
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Seroquel
I’m new to the community. My dad has dementia these past 5 years on namenda and donezepil. Lately he has started so sundown and will start having these episodes of looking for his wallet and blaming my mom (main caregiver) she’s stealing his money. Our doctor said to try seroquel but I’m scared as when I’m reading about…
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Haven't yet figured out dx, but new symptom
…has cropped up. Brief history: DH was struggling. MRI in Oct 2023 showed brain shrinkage. Initial dx: moderate cognitive decline (13 of 30 MOCA), suspect Parkinsons, and Alz. In March, Speech therapist suspected Ataxia and so far indications seem correct dx. Neurologist is waiting on Mayo Clinic results of genetic…
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Middle of the night convo made me laugh
DH: (Sleeping soundly, suddenly asks a thoughtful question at 2 a.m.): ”Are you fixing…my…” Me: (holding my breath a tad, in interpretation-prep mode. Not sure where this is going or what it will mean for the rest of the wee hours I was hoping to just sleep) DH:… “Trans-ma-tazz-ma-tay-shun?” Me: (Thinking. Stumped!) “Uhh,…
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Does it really matter what we call it??
My DH has hadcognitive issues for many years. I noticed it when I retired 12 yrs ago. Executive function deficits, no initiative. Withdrawn, apathy. He was in denial. 6 yrs ago physical problems manifested. Sitting most of day, extreme chronic constipation, balance issues, autonomic dysfunction, nightly sleep problems.…
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Missing my life
just missing that “Someone loves me “ feeling 🥲
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Hospitalization for agitation-round 3
As some of you know, my DH spent much of last month hospitalized for aggressive behavior at his memory care. He spent a month at 2 different Geri psych hospital units, with a four-day break at his memory care between hospitalizations. This time he made it two weeks before getting sent out of his memory care for taking a…
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Seeing the worst in me
I’m new to ALZConnect. but have cared for my wife over the last five years as she has suffered with mild cognitive impairment. The formal Alzheimer’s diagnosis came 12/ 2024 and she is declining more rapidly. My DW has always been controlling, and recently started accusing me of steamrolling decisions without her consent.…
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Caregiver costs
I am at the stage with my DH that I may be needing care during the night so I can get sleep. Due to the cost of caregivers for 12 hrs, it is cost prohibitive. Any ideas?
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In home care for DH
I am caring for my DH and finding it harder by the day. DH is incontinent at night, which means changing clothes, sometimes bedding, anyone else out there have the same issue. Sometimes twice a night. He wears depends and an inner pad. Because of being up with him, I am exhausted, as I am tge sole caregiver at night.…
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Leqembi
Curious if anyone has seen any improvement with their loved one receiving infusions. My DH has had 10 and we have a long way to go but I’m not feeling very hopeful.
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Hiw many spouses sleep in another room?
My DH gets extremely anxious and agitated, sundowning is in full effect at our house. My husband is up and down all night long. Good nights 15x, many nights 25+. I can't take care of him if I'm not getting any sleep. Dr tried respiridine and trazadine but they decreased his BP to critical levels, 70/50. Off those meds, BP…
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Spouse is aware of memory loss
Just wondering if anyone has a loved one who is aware of their memory loss. My DH will realize he is forgetting things. He is worse than what he thinks he is at. He absolutely refused to do the neuro-psych test to see where he is at. He has no physical issues to cause dementia so he was diagnosed with ALZ. My mom with…
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ravastigmine vs donepezil
My DH's neurologist seems very knowledgable and nice but sometimes things confuse me. My DH was taking donepezil, but the neurologist switched him to revastigmine because he takes escitolopram for depression and apparently there is a risk from taking donepezil with escitalopram. From what I have seen it looks like a…
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Researching FACILITIES: Care Managers? Who to trust? What questions to ask? Where to begin?
My husband is only 56 and probably in stage 4. I understand that it's important that I research options for memory care now (or soon), because things can decline abruptly with early-onset AD. I got a list of "care managers" from the Alzheimer's Association hotline folks but they were careful to tell me that they "don't…
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Dental care
DH has always been meticulous about self care and would never consider missing a shower. Same thing about dental care. I find that ever so gradually this is changing. Once in awhile he wants to skip a shower. It happens rarely so I haven’t yet made a big deal of it. I’m more concerned about dental care as he does have some…
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Repeated falls
My DH has now been in AL for two years, with Parkinson’s disease that has caused severe physical disability and advancing dementia. He is in a wheelchair, and needs assists with all his ADL’s. He is supposed to call for help with all transfers but he does not recognize that he is disabled, which I have learned here…
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DW scared me today
I was shocked to my core today. DW is late stage 6 or early 7 - 6 1/2 years since EO diagnosis. This morning when I got her out of bed, her facial expression said it all - she was lost and terrified. DW has been in a relative calm stage of over the last year, so this was a sudden change. And I couldn't reach her. After…
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Question about using Depends
DH as has had only a couple of accidents related to incontinence. But it really upset him. No knowing what the recurrence would be I suggested Depends or the underwear inserts. He said no way. I just ordered them and snuck them in. When he had another accident, I showed them to him. Now he loves them and wants to wear them…
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Memory
My DH has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Is it normal (usual may be a better term) for him to remember some things better than I do yet not remember other things?
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Sometimes you have to laugh
So, just when life gets you down, sometimes you have to laugh. Last night my DH started to panic. "We have to get out of here! I know what I'm talking about. We don't have security clearance. You need to go cook dinner across the street." None of this made any sense, of course, but the best line was, "Where can I find…
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excessive sleeping
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Dilemma about Memory Care
I have two questions: First, almost universally the memory care facilities I have visited say you should place your person sooner rather than later. I wonder what the evidence is for this, or whether it's easier for them to have less impaired people. What I see, almost everywhere, is people who are mostly pretty far along…
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Locked doors
We are approaching the point of keeping doors locked. During the day the front door is blocked by a sun screen. The side door is open. I am able to keep an eye on things. Not sure how to phrase this….i am wondering how peoples LO react when they find the doors locked. Especially t first. Thank you….
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TIME TO HIDE THINGS
DH thinks he is being helpful, but he's not. Today he put my computer somewhere??? and my headphones too. I was out for a couple of hours and when I came home they were missing. He managed to walk out with my computer, but my headphones are still missing. He thought I would want to put my computer away somewhere else and…
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Went looking for love
Well I did something I'm not very proud of, but I'm getting to the end of my rope. I have been so lonely and in need of companionship. DW is late stage and we are in year 7 of this journey. I'm still relatively young at 65. I decided to go onto one of those dating websites to see if I could find someone willing to spend…
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Obsessive plant watering
my DW is watering our plants 4 or 5 times a day. They are desert plants. Not only don’t they need it but it’s affecting them adversely. Any ideas how to redirect the behavior without hurting her feelings?
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Frustrated!
For the most part, DH is very easy to care for. I hate our situation and I long for what used to be a happy, content life, but I feel fortunate because I know it could be allot worse. Every once in awhile he comes up with something that throws me for a loop, though. Lately he refuses to cut his toe nails. He says they…