-
Caregiver and After
My dear wife fell asleep the last time about 5 weeks ago after having endured years of this disease. She was diagnosed with MCI 8 years ago and her progression was moderate until about 2 years ago when it kicked into high gear and moved much more rapidly. Being her primary caregiver for all that time, with limited help…
-
Dealing with BM Clean up!
Being straightforward and honest here so …DH had a BM accident. After he took his clothes off and sat on his bed with his dirty bum he did get in the shower. Went in to get his clothes and bedspread to wash and almost got sick from the awful smell! I had to leave his room. I felt bad for asking him to bring the stuff down…
-
Just a curious observation
DH has severe aphasia to where most of the time I have no idea what he’s trying to say - he can’t come up with the right words. But lately he’s been talking with numbers a lot. Like “where is the 30-50” or “that will be 30 thousand” or counting the number of traffic lights when we’re stopped at a red light. Just a…
-
My wife forgot her brother died in 2019
I know others have experienced this situation and I wondered if you have any advice for me. My wife told me last week today she was worried about her brother because she had not heard from him in awhile. I wasn’t sure how to respond—I didn’t want to say he was fine—but when I reminded her that he passed away she was…
-
Read this- for MCI or early stage slowing progression
Results based on Dr. Dean Ornish’s 9 week virtual program. You meet online twice a week with caregiver. Program might be covered by insurance if your loved one has cardiac issues. The program is for cardiac patients, but has now started to treat early stage MCI and early stage Alzheimer’s. I am looking into this program…
-
Respite
I have been so fortunate. One of my DWs sisters has been coming up every couple of weeks to offer me respite. I just had two lovely nights away and I loved every minute of it, as I can feel that I’m coming to the end of my rope. My DW missed me like crazy when I was gone. Had a nice little reunion and then right back to…
-
Seroquel
Based on posts I’ve read on here, I asked my husband‘s neurologist for Seroquel to help with sleep and behavior. I’d like to know from others experiences how long it took for the medication to work? How long before a noticeable difference was noticed? The main thing that I’m hoping for is successful sleep through the…
-
Combativeness and Agitation Out of Control
My DH was diagnosed with dementia 15 years ago and his decline has been very gradual but very definite. He's been in memory care for a year, cannot communicate and doesn't understand when I ask him to stand up, sit down, take a sip, etc. He is also incontinent. He is extremely combative and agitated with memory care staff…
-
Anosognosia Is Overwhelming Me
I know my DH cannot help having Anosognosia as part of his Alzheimers but WOW is it taking a toll on me. I JUST NEED TO VENT. NO ADVICE PLEASE. I have always been a person who is grounded in facts and science. Now I must try to shift my core personality to accommodate my DH’s lack of understanding of either of these as it…
-
How to take away responsibilities
My DH is going into his 2nd year after diagnosis. I started noticing things about 3 years prior to diagnosis. I'd say he's into stage 4 perhaps . He's still quite able to handle his personal care. It's tech th a t he struggles with. Just scrolling thru social media and such is not much of an issue, but if it's something…
-
I need a hug please
So today is our Wedding Anniversary and he wants a divorce again. I didn’t say anything cause he’s been tormenting me since I woke up. It hurts cause I asked him if he’d like to go away for one night and he said no. Then unbeknownst to me he asked his friend to come in without my knowledge. So now the two of them are going…
-
My Truth, Is it Yours Too?
I do not know the author but I wish I could credit them.
-
Newly diagnosed? Free Zoom workshop tonight 9-23-25 for newly diagnosed.
free Zoom workshop tonight. 7:30 PM EST. How to prepare for the future. I saw this on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17L5XA7FCc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
-
Fidget and Anxiety Reducing Toys
My sweet DH is a firm stage six with all the symptoms that go with AZ progression. A friend suggested buying some “toys” designed to help people with AZ reduce anxiety. Has anyone used these to calm thei LO? I saw some sites, but would like feedback from those who have used these, with the DL.
-
Family support when overwhelmed
As nearly every caretakers knows it is easy to become overwhelmed. At my advanced aged, I had gotten to the point of considering both of us going into Assisted Living. Our 5 kids had already been discussing "what if Mom dies, what will we do with Dad?" as well as "What about Mom, she seems overwhelmed." Last night the 3…
-
So Tired This Morning
Good gosh almighty how can we all do this. I am so tired today thank goodness I understand it comes and goes but today I’m tired and very short of patience even our little dog knows to leave me alone but now i’m sad about that. It was finally bed at 10pm, then DH wandering with every light on at 2am, slumber for me for an…
-
Too old for this/too young for this
Newly diagnosed spouse of 40 years. He’s in denial, I’m in panic mode and end times mode. And it’s only just started. Twist? He doesn’t want any treatment. Anyone have any experience with no treatment? Or know how it may go?
-
Just sharing a positive/happy moment
We live in a very rural area, not close to any family, most friends have moved away or passed on. Our awesome next door neighbor just called to see if my husband would like to go watch him at his ju-jitsu class then stop for lunch after. This same neighbor took a day off work a couple of months ago to drive me to a doctor…
-
Questions about memory care
My husband has been in a secure memory care unit for 3 weeks. It's noisy and the shared areas are crowded. About a third of the residents are non-verbal. There are 18 patients with a nurse and two CNA's. After lunch, everyone is told to go to the TV room where they seem to stay until dinner, unless they decide to take a…
-
Gulp. So new I hope I’m reading incorrectly
New diagnosis. Hubby. I’m reading posts saying seven years, nine years. Still dealing with new memory failings? Issues. I did just order that book someone suggested. I just don’t think I can handle all this. Is this with treatment that slows progression or without? Go ahead. I’m obviously very naive and have no clue right?…
-
The Clock Stopped
In the middle of a concentrated time of reviewing important documents (…and needing a break) I was interrupted with DW coming into the room upset because the clock "stopped again!" and her TV shows were all mixed up "I give up!" she said. I managed to not react and instead said kindly "Can you show me so that I can fix…
-
Her Signs In Stage 8
Over the course of the weeks leading up to my dear wife's passing. strange things kept occurring, signs if you believe, that she was providing. There were so many "coincidences" that we began to believe that was something more at play. I am uneasy even writing that here or saying it publicly. But, they continue. Images in…
-
Teaching Myself To Breath
As my wonderful DH’s VD and Aphasia progress I am trying to teach my self to sit still and just breath, gently and slowly in and out. This is a challenge and so hard as I have always been movement plus. I am also trying to use all the support that I have access to because as we all know the cavalry won’t come unless you…
-
Patience...
…I'm out of it. I’ve heard it said that resilience is a virtue, and in my current position, I really need it to be. For the past three years, my husband has had an official diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, but looking back, I realize the signs were there for years before. I had no idea what I was getting into. Now that we're…
-
65 days in memory care
I haven't posted in a while, but I thought I would tell the story of my DH's adjustment to MC and ask you all a question. He had a very rough time for the first three weeks, then slowly began to adjust and to take part in activities which has progressed to him being fairly happy by six weeks or so. One of the reasons he's…
-
Trying to keep my sanity
Hi. I'm relatively new here. My DH was diagnosed a year ago with Alz., but I noticed changes about 3 years prior to diagnosis. I'm not totally unfamiliar with Alz. as I was my Mom's advocate in her last few years with it. She has passed, but I thank her for the practice I received ... not that anyone wants practice or any…
-
Steady decline …
Things are changing! Noticing a lot of little changes lately … choosing cookies for lunch over a sandwich, having a danish for breakfast instead of a protein, picking through his food taking out pieces of onion or peppers which he used to like, giving him his pj’s to change into and getting into bed with the same clothes…
-
Fairly new to this dementia thing...
Just for some background, my DH's geriatrician recently diagnosed him with vascular dementia, based on the fact that he had a stroke 3-1/2 years ago. At the time we were told that the only outcome of the stroke was aphasia (word finding difficulty). Since that time he has become disabled due to a bad fall resulting in a…
-
For any CALPERS retirees and caregivers of
We have been married for 37 yrs, my husband has had several strokes and has VD. Luckily his memory is still intact, he is capable of carrying on a conversation, understanding and can make his own decisions, albeit slow with his processing speed. I have always handled finances, bills, investments,etc. I thought I had taken…
-
Another Step Down
I can’t rant, my compassion and love for my DH is too deep but I just need to talk to those that understand. I had a friend say to me yesterday if you ever need to rant just call, so kind of her but I don’t need to rant I need to cry sometimes I’m just so sad about this debilitating disease. We have this wonderful…