We moved

Care4Mom2

I haven't had chance to post since my DH and I moved. It has been 4 weeks now. Before we moved, my DH was showing signs of loss of executive function. I would ask him to do something and he would end up doing something else. That still goes on.

We haven't gotten into any social activities in the new community yet. I am still trying to settle in and find my way around. Right now, my husband is joined to my hip. I have not been able to do anything by myself since we moved. That has been hard on me. We only have one car now, so I wouldn't feel right leaving him without being able to go somewhere himself.

When I set up our new kitchen, I tried to keep things (as much as I could) in the same cabinet as we did at the old house -- for example, the paper plates are in the top corner cabinet. It didn't matter. He still cannot remember where they are. Also, he'd take the Oatmeal out of the cabinet (once he found it), scoop out a cup into a bowl, and forget what cabinet he got it from. That continues 4 weeks later. 

He is also getting timelines confused. He'd say our son visited  2 days before, when it was 5. He told a friend today that we had a bad storm with high winds yesterday that took down trees. We did have a storm, but it was not the one with the high winds that downed trees. That was 5 days ago.

He was unable to figure out how to hang shades. (I had to hire a handyman.) My son came and hung the remaining shades. He is in denial about his dad's condition. He said, "In defense of Dad, I couldn't figure it out at first either." What I neglected to say to him was that his father, after trying to figure it out, is the one who told me he could not do it.... 

My DH has to feel useful, but I can't seem to give him a job that he can do without a problem. He is also getting very frustrated because he says, "My brain is scrambled." He seems depressed at times, too. That concerns me. 

So, he does seem worse to me. Does the fact that he is getting events mixed up, mean we have moved from mild to moderate Alzheimer's?? The only thing I see that has improved is that he is showering everyday. He only showered every 4 days before we moved. Not sure why that is different, other than he doesn't know what to do with himself....and he does what I do.

We do have our first internist appointment this coming week. It is just a new patient appointment, so I don't expect any formal diagnosis.... But, it is a start, I guess...

Rescue mom

This is late for me., but I did not want to leave you all night with no,answer…(maybe not worth much, but it all I’ve got).

My husband quickly lost executive function, and is can do/or find almost nothing in our kitchen of 30 unchanged years. He does not know where glasses, plates, silverware are, cannot set table. He may pour a bowl of cereal then walk away complaining about being hungry and he can’t find the refrigerator. I show him the fridge, He can look at milk, or yogurt, etc.but what he sees means nothing to him. Can’t pick fruit on counter to put on a plate.

My DH also gets days/times of recent events or happenings very confused. I think that’s just the disease progressing. 

No matter how small and easy I make the steps  of a process, he cannot get through one step without wandering off.

He does like to fold napkins and small towels, and sort contents of junk drawers for maybe 10 minutes. At least he gives no,sign of frustration, he just stops and stares for a moment, then walks away and leaves it. All pretty common from what I hear, although some seem more easily diverted with another smile “activity” for at least a few minutes.

Trying to Suss out what he likes about this shower vs. old one can be hard. Water or room temperature ?  Water pressure ? New handles faucets? Some feature on how the shower space looks or works? Any of those have been known to have huge effect On their willingness to get in.

Care4Mom2

Thank you, Rescue mom. Has your DH Alzheimer’s been categorized into a stage? I know everyone is different, but I feel it would give me some perspective as to where we are and where we are going. How long ago have you been dealing with this disease?

sandwichone123

The best bet I've found for dh doing a job is to work together. Stand across the table from him and model what you want him to do, and my dh can usually do it. I first discovered this when we went camping last summer and I really needed him to help set up the tent. If he could mirror me, he could do his part.

The worst thing I've found is trying to give verbal instructions. My dh has had expressive aphasia for quite a while, but is now having trouble understanding as well (receptive aphasia).