Just starting the journey

Leaderoftheband

DW was recently diagnosed with AD.  I have been reading several books on caregiving and I know it is going to be a journey and that I am just starting, while most of you have been at this a while.  She is still able to be independent but is declining. Should I be making the needed safety changes to the house (support rails, remove carpeting and install laminate floors etc) whil she is aware of what is going on, or wait till she really isn’t a part of it?  

I don’t want to rush things but want to be prepared.

Thanks

Ed1937

Hello, Leader. Welcome to the forum, but I wish you had no use for it. But you will get support and understanding here that is hard to come by. Just jump in with any concerns you might have, and people will share what works for them.

I never did all the things you mentioned, but the one thing I would recommend you do before long is to put in grab bars in the shower and/or tub. These are useful even for people without dementia. If you have area rugs in the house, many people will say to remove them, but I just used carpet tape to secure the edges very well to prevent tripping on the carpet.

The one thing I would recommend that you do ASAP would be to meet with a CELA (certified elder law attorney). They will be able to protect many assets for you if/when things really get bad financially. This is extremely important.

Enjoy life with your wife while you can. Do the things you both enjoy, and get all the good times you can early in the disease.

Read all the posts you can because there is a ton of good information here, and it will help you. Also become familiar with some of the videos available on youtube concerning dealing with this disease. Two of my favorite providers are Teepa Snow and Natalie Edmonds. You can search for Teepa on youtube, but if you want to search for Natalie, you might do better searching for "Careblazers".

I'm giving you one link to an excellent site that explains dementia. You might want to bookmark it. https://www.alzconnected.org/uploadedFiles/understanding-the-dementia-experience.pdf  

Last, but not least, stay involved with this site. You will become a member of our family in no time.

Anna2022

Hello Leaderoftheband!. I am starting my journey too with my DH. Sorry you have to be here, but I am glad you are here.

One of the best pieces of advice I got earlier was to go to a Certified Elder Care Lawyer and talk about the financial future when faced with a loved one with dementia. Also, I was told that it's important to update/create valid will/s and get a Durable Power of Attorney (for finances) and Medical Power of Attorney with HIPAA permissions, as well as directives and other forward thinking legal docs. I did all this first thing (it took a couple of months to complete) and since doing it I have had some peace of mind about those items and am able to think about other things.

Anna2022

toolbeltexpert

Welcome leader, I did some minor changes, I put in confusing locks, I limited tv and internet exposure, they became major triggers for behaviors. You are just starting and not sure of what to do,the others have covered a lot of very good advice. I thought I was going keep my dw home forever. Dementia had other plans. She has been gone since July 11th and is now settling into a mcf. Lots of different things play into each situation that can make some advice good or bad, yours will be no different. Have a plan a,b,c,d incase things don't work out. 

Keep posting, reading and watch those videos, they are a tremendous help.

Stewart

Rick4407

Hello Leader and welcome.  One of the things I did early was install bidet toilet seats throughout the house.  Once you get to incontinence they become a real effort saver.  For about $300 (amazon)  you can get one that heats the water and has a remote control.  If you DW is still mobile it makes clean up very simple after changing diapers.  Rick

Leaderoftheband

Thank you for your insight

ImMaggieMae

Welcome to the forum, Leader. You will find so much valuable information here. We changed things as we went along, as they were needed. We actually didn’t have to change too much.

Rick, could you post a link for the type of bidet you have and like? Was it difficult to install or have installed? I think warm water would be a must.