Dad in final stage of Alzheimer’s and mom is caretaker

Busymom123

Hello wonderful community,

I recently discovered this platform and oMa reaching out for some guidance. We were told last month that my dad is now in his last stage of Alzheimer’s. My mom and dad live with my brother in California as my mom could not handle things alone. For the last couple days he is having difficulty getting up which is becoming a bigger problem for my mom to take him to the bathroom. We are now thinking of bed pan or something that could be more manageable rather than having accidents all through out that my mom had to constantly clean. So please let me know what options we have. 

Also my brother lives in an apt so what can we do to make things easier for both my mom and dad as things will be getting more difficult. He is also having issues swallowing food and my mom is not able to understand how to feed him. I plan to visit them in a few weeks so looking for resources that we can tap into. If anyone is local to SFO in California that would help too. Any tips and any advice is welcome. It’s too hard to see my dad and mom suffer through this.

toolbeltexpert

My first thought was to have a hospice come and do an evaluation. If approved, so much of what your describing would get help with, and Medicare pays for all of it. welcome to the only forum where everybody knows your name. Busymom

Lills

Yes, call hospice! You don't need a doctor's authorization.  My DH was served by hospice from January 2020 to April 2022.  They brought in a bed, lift chair, hoyer lift, CNAs to help with bathing 3x per week, etc. They were all angels!  

trottingalong

My husband has mild cognitive decline now, but I went through what you are going through with his mom. I helped his dad bathe and move her and feed her. We did call in hospice, put her in adult diapers which were a godsend, and sponge bathed her. When she became immobile, he made a lazy Susan where he would sit her up in the bed with her feet over on the side, help her put her feet on it and swivel her into a wheelchair so he could take her for walks. All her food ended up being blended as it became more difficult for her to swallow. He spoon fed her.

T. Slothrop

Busymom 123:

I live in San Francisco, with my DW who is in Stage 5; and I am starting to look into MC places.  How can I help you?

Tyrone 

Busymom123

Thanks for your response but do hospice services help with at home care too ? My mom doesn’t want to send my dad to hospice yet.

Lills

Hospice can serve your dad at home (as well as in a facility).

My DH's CNAs came to our house 3x each week to help give him bed baths and to help me change sheets, etc.   The RN came once a week but would come more if needed.  The hospice physician's assistance came once every two months to assess him.  Hospice also provided a massage therapist and a music therapist.  Again, all were angels!