I’m learning.....one thing at a time.

Hal42

My bride of 46 years gets restless and keeps moving from her chair to her rollator every few minutes. This has been going on for quite some time. She has no explanation for it when I ask. This evening I got upset (not vocally) because I was watching a tv show I was really interested in and DW needed a foot massage. How dare her interrupt my tv show!  I’m just joking about that. Please don’t shoot me! I joke around a lot. Anyway, I changed the channel to a classic country music station and massaged her feet. Both the music and massage has helped to settle her down. She sings along with the songs. (And I’ve settled down too.)

Music therapy!

I’m learning....one thing at a time.

piozam13

Hal, I fully agree with you.

DH used to enjoy head massages.   He said they were more effective than medication.  Massages were part of our daily routine.  He got about 5-10 minutes in the am, a longer one in the pm.  He looked forward to these massages.  I felt it helped a lot with sun downing,

Music is soothing.  He could no longer follow movies and had lost interest in sports. Les Miserables [musical] is something he would watch over again - even get teary.  

Hal42

She has Tardive Dyskenisia in her left leg and it’s constantly moving. I’m learning that massaging her feet helps to relax her legs somewhat. I need to plan to do that more often for her. 

DW really enjoyed the CM  this evening. It’s music she grew up with. If we didn’t have the respite caregiver coming tomorrow my wife might still be up. She made it to bed at 10.

  

Iris L.

Tardive dyskinesia can be a side effect of some of the psychoactive medications some PWDs are on.  

Iris L.

LadyTexan

My DH also enjoys music. We invested in an Alexa. DH is still able to tell Alexa what he wants to hear sometimes. Now that his speech pattern is slower, I assist instructing Alexa what to play. I have noticed that DH recently tells Alexa to play louder and louder, which is frequently too too loud for me. Fortunately, I have ears plugs that reduce the sound.

My DH is much more sensitive to touch than he used to be. If our 27 pound dog steps on his foot, he reacts strongly. We are often barefoot in our house. When DH walks over the textured door mat at the back door, he reacts like he is walking on spikes. Does anyone else experience this?

I understand what you mean by learning one thing at a time. I often feel the same way. In my experience, after I learn one thing, the next lesson presents itself. What works for a while, sometimes changes and I learn a new lesson. 

Two of my life goals are:

1. to learn something new every day and 
2. to laugh every day.

The dementia journey has brought opportunities for both. Unfortunately, there is not as much laughter as there used to be.

Rescue mom

LTexan, my DH with Alzheimer’s (stage 6 probably) reacts strongly, and as if terribly pained, by the slightest bump, brush by a shrub, stepping on a pebble, 10-pound dog steps on foot, bumps against table, etc etc. He reacts as if stabbed and in excruciating pain, sometimes cries. 

I see most things happen, they are not enough to cause such reaction (or any reaction) in another person. I believe it is the Dementia, and also reacting to the surprise of it. I coo and sympathize, and he forgets about them in a few minutes. Much like when we had toddlers…. One thing I did is, no more barefoot walking around (which is common in FL). But most such incidents are hard to stave off, it happens so fast and unexpected (like brushing against a shrub).

Doityourselfer

Yes for music therapy!  I have music playing from morning to dinnertime.

As part of my husband's bedtime routine I brush his hair before he settles into bed.  I'll also massage his shoulders and feet.  It all helps to get him to relax.

Hal42

Iris, we found out my wife’s TD was caused by one of her medications. At first it was thought she had Parkinson’s but that was ruled out. Now no one can get Parkinson’s removed from her records.  Each time a doctor mentions it, I explain about the TD and we move on.

LadyTexan, I can identify with the last sentence of your post. I liked to joke and tease with my wife and got as good from her as I gave. Now there’s not as much laughter. That’s something I miss.