-
Overwhelmed
I am 57 year old wife with a 72 year old husband with many health issues. I work full time along with being a full time caregiver. My husband is ESRD on dialysis and until last week I was doing his hemo dialysis at home. I finally took something off my plate but up at 4 now to be at dialysis clinic by 5:45am three days a…
-
My anxiety and his sundowning
Any caregivers here with generalized anxiety disorder? How do you handle the agitation and paranoia without setting off your own anxiety? DH is in the hospital and is developing more issues with sundowning. I just got yelled at for 5 minutes on the phone so much so that a nurse came by to ask him if he was OK. He was super…
-
How to cope with the diagnosis?
Thank you again for the wisdom. My DW was diagnosed two weeks ago with AD. I suspected it was coming as she had a MOCA two and a half years ago that wasn't good but she didn't do any additional testing at that time. Her symptoms were fairly mild then and still mild today. A few weeks ago she went through a complete…
-
A tip for urinary incontinence products
When people are struggling with urinary incontinence, some of them might use a pad inside an incontinence pull up. If you do that, make sure the pad does not have a waterproof barrier, or you may be defeating your desired outcome. It might seem like you are increasing the capacity, but you're not. If you use a pad like…
-
Should We Move?
This is my first post. My DH was diagnosed last April with ALZ. We are both retired and in our early seventies. We live an eight hour drive from our daughter and across the country from our son. DH no longer drives because of navigational issues, has short term memory issues, trouble following directions at times but…
-
Slowing down and eating less it seems.
Just wondering if this a new corner we are turning. The last few weeks my DW has been eating less and less. Up until a few months ago she was eating at least half of her hamburger, she developed a love for hamburgers, now she eats the fries but barely touches the burger. I think she is tired of them, anyway it seems to…
-
Weird night: Pull-up on head, pee on me, "why'd you hit me?"
OK, so technically it is early morning, but when I closed my eyes, it was last night. Forgive the rambling, but you all know there's no one else who could possibly understand what I'm about to tell you. We are sleeping on the couch. Foot to head (sort of). Chux liners on his side of course. Mainly because this helps him…
-
Abilify
Hello Everyone, I do not post much BUT I depend on this forum as my support. My husband approaching the severe stage is really struggling right now with delusions and hallucinations. This has been going on quite a while but is happening everyday now and sometimes all day long. Our neurologist told us in April after putting…
-
What are expected costs for care?
I’m looking ahead, trying to anticipate what might be the monthly expense when I get in home help for my husband. He’s on Medicare and has the whole package, but I think they only pay once he needs help with daily tasks- is that right? I hope to always keep him at home, but if that isn’t possible what are the likely…
-
A chuckle about lack of focus
Dear Friends, I posted a few days ago about my last of focus. Well, here is my latest. My dear friend made a gorgeous unicorn cake for her granddaughter and posted a picture on Facebook. I thought I typed "It is terrific." But no.... my post came out to be "It looks terrible." I truly was mortified. My dear friend, was so…
-
Are other caregivers having a difficult time focusing?
Good Morning Forum Friends, My DH was diagnosed 5 years ago with Alz/Dementia and is in stage 5. I am on antidepressants (Wellbutrin) and am the sole caregiver. I am finding that I am constantly thinking of many things at the same time to the point of constant distraction. It is so scary and am wondering if others…
-
HBO's The Alzheimer's Project
Does anyone remember The Alzheimer's Project? It was produced by HBO and was available online for a time. There was good information there. Iris
-
Some good news to share
I've been working with our CELA on longterm Medicaid. After pulling docs, rearranging things, and managing the "spend down" we finally were approved yesterday. Still work to do. I need to schedule time with the social worker and hire an agency, but we're approved for in home care. I cannot express the relief I feel. Please…
-
A Good Thing
Some may remember how upset I’ve been about my how SOs “super close, best family ever” just disappeared from her life when they heard she had dementia. Poof. No contact. I finally talked to my therapist about it. We agreed her family just didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal, so the only real thing I could do to give…
-
Hallucinations
My wife who is mild /moderate accuses me of having affairs with other women. Up till now I’ve been ok with dealing with everything. How do I answer or calm this delusion. It really hurts me
-
4 years without a working brain
It has been over four years now since DW recognized me or anyone else. Or said a word or responded to a command. She could walk until a year ago. She still eats what you put in her mouth. She likes ice cream. $12,000 a month buys the best of care in the Washington suburbs. I go on cruises and to conferences and vacations…
-
Troubles in public places
I am just beginning to wonder if it is time to limit my DH going to public places. In the last few weeks he seems to be getting worse in terms of his behavior when out and about. For instance, he yelled at me in a grocery store because he no longer has a car key and wanted to go wait in the car, despite it having only been…
-
An answer for hiya about my DW's forgetting who I was
In another thread 'hiya' asked me to expand on a comment I made. I thought it best to respond in a new post. In that post I noted that earlier in my DW's dementia she began to fail to recognize who exactly I was. Specifically the request was: "Can you explain more about how the forgetting process took place? Stage?…
-
How do I handle the passing of my ADLO's sister from the same disease?
My wife's sister, Jennie, lives 2 hours away and has been in a memory care unit for three years. Her husband visited her every day. She has just been put in palliative/hospice care and will pass away soon. My wife Linda has ES, still fully physically functional, can play mahjong and solitaire, but can't remember what took…
-
Guidance for Keeping My DH at Home
Good morning my dear fellow travelers, I need your experience and wisdom about the feasibility of caring for my DH at home. I see him declining more each day. My heart wants to keep him home. My biggest concern is if I can physically handle the anticipated mobility challenges (getting up out of a chair, bed, toilet or any…
-
DH in hospital again
Just can't catch a break. DH has been admitted to the hospital today, again, due to having cellulitis. Third time in less than 6 months that he has had an infection that required IV antibiotics. The last time they sent him home after less than 12 hours. Tomorrow a geriatric care manager is doing an emergency assessment on…
-
Thinks Parents are still alive and wants to go home
My DH of 53 years thinks his parents are still alive, they passed over 20 years ago. He often asks where his Mom or Dad went, telling me they were just here. The evenings are the worst as he insists on going home to his Mom. I've come up with several stalls, like they have Covid and are isolating, or they have out of town…
-
Completely confused after a hospital stay
My DW, stage 3 or maybe early stage 4, was in the hospital for DVT (blood clot in her arm which was caught just in time). She went in last Monday and I brought her home last night (Thursday). When we got home she was completely confused as to which day she entered the hospital and how long she was there. She was given a…
-
Tips for the Phone
My DH, loves his phone. He uses the timer when he's watering the lawn so he knows when to move the sprinkler. He calls our son and daughter frequently. It has a tracker on it that gives me some comfort. If a text appears on his phone, he runs to me to deal with it. He's excited to share it with me and doesn't know what to…
-
I find it hard to get my head around this!!
im Married 54 1/2 yrs , you live most of your life with your mate and know everything about them. You know there moods likes and dislikes then this terrible illness hits someone close and you slowly see a different person emerging , very sad to watch it’s like an illness that surly makes the other suffer in a different…
-
Tips on tone of voice
I’m finding it hard at times when my wife says or does things that really aren’t her. I understand it’s part of illness but maybe someone has a tip on how not to speak or try not to sound frustrated. I’m sure someone know what I’m trying to say. Thank you this is not an easy illness to deal with I’m seeing now. Wife in…
-
How to prevent those nasty UTI’s
My DH is taking antibiotics for yet another UTI. This is the 6th one this year. He never had one before becoming urinary incontinent. He wears incontinence underwear along with a pad around the clock. He goes into the bathroom on his own or I take him but he’s usually already wet. I don’t think he can tell when he has to…
-
How to respond?
Hi all. My wonderful Hubs has Alz at 66 years old. I'm wondering how others might suggest I respond when he says things like, "Well you never told me that!" or "I never knew that." Of course, he's been told of schedules, plans, etc. I even write them on his calendar now. But how do you respond? I don't want to snap at him,…
-
Daycare for EOD PWD
Yesterday while talking to an attorney I mentioned that our local adult day care will not accept anyone under the age of 60. She had a suggestion for a non-governmental program that would probably accept DH. Ever since he retired over 2 1/2 years ago he has sat in front of a computer playing games and watching youtube…
-
Long ago and far away
Today marks 6 months since DH passed and today this popped up on FB “memories” from 9 years ago. So bittersweet. It’s hard to believe that things went South so fast. . I miss him every day, but reminders like this are comforting.