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Tonight
As I sit here tonight at 9:56pm I think I have had a really rough evening with my DH….but I know what I think is bad now really isn’t. He is probably in early stage 5 and I know there are so many worse days/nights coming. I try to remind myself that really we are still fairly normal compared to what many are going through…
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being prevented from communication
My DW of 45 years has ALZ and is living in an assisted care facility. The oldest daughter has POA. She and an unknown DR have implemented what they call a "NO CONTACT" plan where I am being prevented from any communication with my wife. They say this is for her "well being" and that it is permanent. She is taking 3 or 4…
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Just needed to vent a bit
This post is just a vent to others here who know where I'm coming from. The people in my Alzheimer's support group are great and they totally get it too. My wife is 65 years old and about four years into this insanity that is Alzheimer's. She's been my best friend, wife, lover, mother of our children, grandmother now. But…
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Useful resource, IDK?
Hello fellow caregivers. Like many of you I am on a solo journey caring for my LO with varying degrees of this baffling disease. Wondering if any of you have found AARP to be a useful resource? We live in a rural touristy mountain area, limited resources. I have been reading the 36 Hour Day which has been helpful. I ask…
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Personality changes in caregivers
I read a very interesting comment in a Facebook caregiver group about how taking care of a person with dementia causes changes in the caregiver. Basically, the constant hypervigilance and responding to unpredictable and alarming behaviors over time produces emotional flattening and fatigue because our nervous systems…
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Need Advice How To Overcome Emotions Putting Your Spouse In MC Home
Unfortunately, time has come for me to make a decision on putting my lovely wife of 55 years into MC. I just don’t know how I am going to handle this. Just the thought of it makes me cry especially when I put her to bed or when I am alone. Just feel so guilty. I can’t imagine being alone at home without her…. breaks my…
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A Wife and A Partner
Not sure why I'm posting this……I'm not looking for validation and certainly don't need judgment. I guess just sharing my experience. My wife was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's over 7 years ago. She is currently non-verbal, fully incontinent, and unable to do anything for herself. I am blessed that she is still…
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Join Our Caregiver/Grief Support Group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/IyfD6t2EHeFB11LOSye1eIError link to join our WhatsApp support group. we also meet Thursday nights on zoom
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Excellent information on infusion drugs
unsafe:blob:https://alzconnected.org/1083128f-37c8-41d5-aca0-7410bb41f055
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NOT DRIVING!
My wife who is three years into FTD announced this morning she intends to go driving. I told her that was not happening because her neurologist had written in her report she was not to drive and our insurance would be invalid. This, among many other reasons were enough to keep her off the road. Likely she will forget it…
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What's the one thing that gets to you the most
Just curious. What is the single most difficult aspect of your LO's behavior that gets to you the most. For me, it is the constant vocalization of my DW. I know that many say that silence is even more difficult but that is hard for me to imagine. From the minute she wakes up until she goes to sleep 12 to 14 hours later she…
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Learned Something New About Alzheimer’s
My DH (57) was diagnosed exactly 2 years ago with EOAD. Progression has been slowed a bit by Leqembi but he had to stop due to ARIA. Now I’m seeing more signs of progression. One are I see it in most is his loss of words. He struggles more an more just to get out a few sentences. But a few nights ago he had a dream where…
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Painting pictures for our loved ones…
Cristian’s St. Peter’s’ song speaks to me of the Alzheimer’s Journey. My Michael sits by my side a little while longer while I “paint pictures” of our years together. I found it moving and wanted to share it with you, my community of beautiful carers who also paint pictures for your loved ones to briefly touch and know. Be…
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He’s been gone for 2 weeks now…
My DH passed on Jan 3. He was late Stage 6 and it was sudden - likely his heart. So he found his “exit ramp” before moving to Stage 7. I wanted to share my observations and some things I’ve learned. 1st: Focus on the little joys each day and what you’re grateful for, even in Stage 8. During this journey, I try to journal…
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Feeling misty eyed after visiting DH yesterday
Yesterday, I made the short drive to my DH's MC like I always do on Sunday's. As usual, he was glad to see me and we had a nice visit. By a nice visit I mean I tried to show him a picture album from a trip he took to Africa in 2005 while he pointed to the animals and tried to cound them. He has no memory of his "trip of a…
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Losing my Temper With my DW
I feel so sorry for losing my temper with my DW. She just pushes the same issues over and over again to solve issues that I have no control over such as her delusions and hallucinations she continues to have. She demands that I stop imaginary people from our home who are stealing and trying to hurt and kill her. She has…
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Aphasia
I realised this morning at 6 o’clock when we were having an early cup of tea on the front deck as usual that I can no longer have any conversation with my DH virtually no sensible words and only jibberish sentences making no sense. I try as always to piece together the words that he is trying to say and it has become…
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Does It Start Over, And Over, And ....
It has been five months as of January 16 since my dear wife went to sleep for the last time holding my hands. The journey since has been difficult, painful, sleepless, guilt ridden, an abundance of tears at unexpected moments, lonely, oh so lonely and as the previous month began to wane, I found a day here or there when I…
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Tired
Sometimes life is just tiresome and I just need to vent. This is the scene; the weather here is hot 35c humid rainy and wet. I used to love this time of year swimming in the pool, sweaty bbq’s outside under a balmy night sky, walks along the beach (no swimming due to stingers and the occasional crocodile spotting) but now…
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Toileting
I am now having to assist my DH in all aspects of using the toilet. I know it is only a matter of time before he will need pads or Depends. My question is whether anyone has considered trimming or shaving around the genitals and anus? I feel as though it would make things easier in the cleanup process. I'm pretty sure my…
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FOR WANDERINGS
https://metalert.shop/products/gps-smartsole?srsltid=AfmBOoomVnrnFFaEk2afyLWGX0KANm7d69tqaHr4VOuuY_eKTiLiY1o0&selling_plan=3595567348&variant=42783777587444 This is one…google for others
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For the eagle-watchers
Jackie and Shadow seem to be preparing a new nest. Here is the site of the live Webcam. Some members like to observe for a break in their routine. Livestream - Friends of Big Bear Valley https://share.google/Y8pyvVpGQPuUXhFar Here is an article about the pair. 2026 nesting season underway for Big Bear’s famed bald eagles –…
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Notice to police or first responders
Does anyone know if there is a program or something to alert first responders that the person at home has dementia? This afternoon my husband flagged down the police for no reason. I was on my way home from work and his aide had already left. Apparently they were in the neighborhood and he went out our front door and…
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Incontinence pants
just saw an ad on line for Dryment incontinence pants. Anyone know about these, are they all they say they are ? Thanks for your input!
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Physical Aggression
What if he does hit me? Do I call 911? Do I call my son? Do I leave the house? Do I lock myself in the bathroom? What do I do?
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Can’t communicate
My wife is in later stages Alzheimer’s and can’t communicate properly anymore. She speaks to me and I can’t understand what she wants. Likewise she struggles to make sense of anything I say. How do you cope with this? It’s exhausting.
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Just Curious
Don't know what stage my DH is but quite frequently he will look at me and ask where his uncle is or if he went home or if he went to bed already. His uncle died long before I met my DH and we have been married almost 40 years. I know who he's talking about. I usually just answer him that I'm not sure or yes he's already…
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Geographic infusion discussions
My husband had been diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment and we are being advised to begin infusion treatment. The challenge is that we are snowbirds living half a year in Florida and the other half up north. Has anyone had experience navigating this type of situation where the 18 month treatment is coordinated between…
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Continued follow up after diagnosis
DH was diagnosed with FTD Semantic variant. There is no treatment so is there still a need to be followed by a neurologist? I am unsure what the benefits would be if there is no treatment. What have you all done?
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What do you do for self-care?
My DH received his alz diagnosis 5 mo ago. He is no longer driving but manages most of his ADL’s & putters around our small farm. Most of my caregiving at this point is around appointments, finances, cooking, groceries, mostly typical household things. I can be away from home altho I try to spend as much time here as…