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Sleep Pattern
Spouse sleep pattern has changed, I’m guessing that’s normal. We are somewhere past moderate dementia diagnosed 2 years ago. She will usually go to bed between 8 and 9. Sleep seems ok, with occasionally getting up once or twice in the early hours, however, she will sleep until 11-12 in the morning. It’s about 50/50 if she…
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UPDATE 4/19/24
The infection is 99% healed with antibiotics! Thank you for your prayers. My husband is declining faster now but some days he's more aware & communicative than others. They have increased his medications for agitation to the point he's almost a zombie. When I visited him last week he was in bed and hadn't even gotten…
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ME OR NOT ME, that is the question.
ME OR NOT ME, that is the question. Whether it is better to….thats all i can remember, i think it was Shakespeare. Anyways. I have been doing fairly well adjusting to the various nuances of this here disease. I am doing better with recognition situation. I have worked hard on my responses, although it is a bear trying to…
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Documenting the diagnosis and stage of dementia
My DH has been exhibiting executive function deficits for more than 5 yrs as well as physical decline. We chased a diagnosis through the drs and medical system for almost a year. The only thing they found was MCI 4 yrs ago. It has progressed. Slow walking, slow reaction time, slow processing, some difficulty finding the…
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Orthostatic hypotension
My DH has been suffering from orthostatic hypotension as well as a haywire GI system. I have read autonomic dysfunction can happen with alzheimers patients. He is up and down all night long 15-20x. Noone is sleeping and the meds they have tried: risperidone, flimax and trazadone have all made the low BP much worse. He is…
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Spitting(3)
My DH has begun spitting... anytime, anywhere, no discretion. It's almost like a constant tic. Gross,gross,gross! The first thing I do each morning is walk through the house searching for globs of spit/phlegm to clean up. I've wondered if any of the medications he's taking could possibly cause this? (Singulair, Seroquel,…
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spring cleaning....but still find time to feel guilty. Rambling thoughts....
After months and months of illness and lethargy, I got my act somewhat to together this week. What started it was finally getting around to putting refrigerant in the air conditioner of my old beater truck (thank you, YouTube). Now I feel like the dam has broken: I've called a landscaper to take over the overwhelming…
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communication
Just found this on the alz.org site https://training.alz.org/products/4036/effective-communication-strategies
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Return of the "fugitive"....an update
After DH's PCP told him he was fine and that his "family were trying to put you in MC" and that the PCP refused to sign the form because he was "perfectly fine", the following day (yesterday) my DH called and Uber and left the house. After about 3 hours I got a text from him saying that he was at the airport in the next…
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POA or GUARDIAN
My bf who has EOAD is 44 years old. He has been fighting with "the man in the mirror" for the last solid week if not longer. My question is I am currently his rep payee for his disability check, but what is best so that I am not responsible for his debt when he passes (not that we are close to that) but if he has to go…
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DW fell
She is in MC for almost two months now. She has been unstable for a long time but could walk on her own howbeit very slow. When she lived at home I always had a hold of her wherever she went. The MC doesn't have the staff to hold her by the hand day and night as I did. The other day the MC called to say she fell and the…
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So glad to have found something to laugh about!!!
While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table, and she didn’t miss them until they had been driving for about forty minutes. By then,…
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MC one year anniversary
It was the worst day of my life. But we survived it and now a year later I can say it was the right move for us. I read so many posts of others struggling with this decision and I fully understand your agony. Here is a recap of our story starting two years ago. DW was well into stage 6, often incontinent, unable to dress…
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The end of the "fiblets"...
Something happened yesterday that literally has me shaking, and very upset. As I've mentioned before, my DH as diagnosed with "mild dementia" about 1.5 years ago via neuropsychological testing. In the past few months we have been looking at placement for him. We have identified a preferred MC and put down a deposit. In the…
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Conflicting Memories
I’ve just been lurking for awhile now on this site. It’s been pretty rough lately with anger at me and a clear progression of the disease. I’ve been following everyone’s advise and I’m trying my hardest to agree, accommodate and ignore all the negativity, but my oh my is it hard to do. I probably should have cancelled our…
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Dementia diagnosis first post
My DH was diagnosed with MCI and we were told he had Dementia. How can we get a more accurate diagnosis? His neurologist said there is not currently a way to diagnose whether he has Alzheimer’s, that is covered by Medicare. Does anyone know something I can do? Thank you
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Testing decisions?
My DH is scheduled for a follow-up this week with his neuro-psychiatrist, a specialist in the dementias. The doc wants further testing, possibly PETscan, lumbar puncture, or that 4-hour neuropsychological exam. Dh has been so very very reluctant to go to the doc; its taken two years to get him into the doc in the first…
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Just so sad. How do you cope?
My husband of 33 years went into memory care 2 months ago following hospitalization. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 5 years ago, and had been living at home since. He's still lucid sometimes, then off in his own world. I've brought him home several time for multi-day stays — and while it's very comforting to have him…
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60 Minutes Alzheimers and Dementia Compilation
This is a compilation of several 60 Minutes episodes from 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2024 that popped up in my Youtube feed. I found it heartwrenching but also felt that it might be beneficial t share w family and friends who don't understand the full scope of a dementia diagnosis on the patient and caregiver. In the 2017…
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New to Group
My DH has been diagnosed with early onset of dimentia and in the process of more tests and more appointments. Looking back he has been having symptoms for about 5 years now but overnight I feel my life has changed. Does the anxiety every go away? I have a preteen and a teen and I am worried about how I will handle all that…
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Great resource - (free booklet) on Caring for a Person with Alzheimers/dementia
Here is a link to this very thorough pdf - online or printable book.
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Micropreemie help out the wazoo - Dementia help crickets
Sorry to inundate with my ridiculous questions. But I need to get this off my chest. I am the 68-year-old wife of a sweet, loving, devoted (I got lucky!) 79-year-old. Last fall, after taking a weekend trip away leaving my smart, capable, healthy husband at home I received a few texts from neighbors telling me he was…
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DPOA
Does a durable power of attorney override a dementia patients previous choice for full resuscitation. The PWD has subsequently indicated a desire not to have full resuscitation
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Update - Sudden Decline In Ability To Walk
As I posted two months ago, my DW who is in MC rapidly lost her ability to walk. We tried getting a sample to check for a UTI but were unsuccessful. To complicate this decline an outbreak of norovirus raced through the facility about infecting residents (including DW) and staff shortly after she stopped walking. I was…
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Bible Verse to Lift You Up 4/9/24
GOOD FRUIT Galatians 5:22-23 New International Version “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” THINK ABOUT THIS: What fruit do you need the most help with? Why do you think this one is more difficult?…
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@AlzWife2023
You posted that you were unsure about your DH 's diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease. What criteria was used to make the diagnosis? Exactly what are you unsure about? Did his MRI report "white matter hyperintensities"? If so, read about white matter brain disease, of which there are many diseases and conditions that result in…
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55-year-old Early Onset: HOW do people pay for memory care?!?!
Hello, I am looking ahead to the impossible-to-predict future and feeling miserable. I'm so confused about some BIG questions. I understand that, as my husband's dementia progresses, we will make adjustments, try to keep him and other family members safe, and keep him at home as long as possible. I understand that SSDI…
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FTD - FrontoTemporal Dementia Staging Tool (by Dr. Tam Cummings)
Just ran across this staging tool and thought it may be helpful for some dealing with FTD.
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Need to exit the Roundabout
Thanks everyone for the shoulder. I’m still stuck but now in another country. I’m in the bathroom and he is the other room pacing and drinking beer. Why can’t I get it thru my thick head not to engage and how in the world do I stop myself. Maybe I need a good brow beating. We see the neurologist on Thursday but he refuses…
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Confused
This is my first post here on the website. My husband was always a rather self Centered person, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in November. And now every single thing is about him, he still pretty functioning, he can drive. His memory is shot. He gets confused. He spends a lot of time talking out loud to himself, which…