New to forum and newly diagnosed spouse at 56

Welcome to the forum, though i am so sorry you are facing this at such a young age. You are not alone, and you have come to a good place for advice and support.

early onset is likely to progress quickly. That means you need to get your ducks in a row quickly, and that your time for bucket list items is short. This may sound harsh, but if there's any upside, you can pray that his time of suffering will not be as prolonged as some (my partner is 83 and in her 12th symptomatic year).

Get legal and financial plans made as quickly as you can. For him this will likely mean SSDI application, and you should have powers of attorney. A certified elder law attorney can help, if you haven't done this already.

How old are your children? You have a lot on your plate. If you read a lot of threads here you will learn a ton.

Hi Alzwife- I am new here also but already feel like I can welcome you here because so many others here have made me feel so welcome. Sorry for what you’re going through. My DW is what I consider early onset, though just diagnosed recently. She was around 57 when I first noticed symptoms. We’re 70 now. In the last year I’ve seen an acceleration of symptoms. Seems like everyday I get surprised or shocked by something new; though there are still some moments my DW and I can laugh like old times as though nothing’s been wrong (she has anosognosia). Other times my brain is smoking just to try and figure out what she’s trying to tell me, or freaking out because she takes the dog outside for a walk in our neighborhood without a collar and leash. You will find a lot of good information and a whole lot of support here!
Hang In,

Karen

I understand what you are going through. I am 54 and DH is 61. Are you both still working and how old are your kiddos? Our boys are in their mid twenties but we do have a 7 year old grandson that lives with us full time. We are both still working full time

welcome. I am new to this also. My wife is 73 and I am 63. She has had signs of dementia for a couple years. In the last six months she has gotten much worse. Her hallucinations and sleepless nights thinking I was three other people was the reason we started going to a neurologist. The medications they put her brought her back to somewhat normal. Still has short term memory issues, but at least she knows me as her husband again. She doesn’t remember any of the confusion or hallucinations. We are just trying to enjoy every moment we can. The reality is that the meds will only mask the symptoms for an unknown time. I thank God every day for this forum. Everyone is so helpful and caring. No one else, including the doctors, seems to understand what we all are going through. Good luck and remember that all of us love you and understands.

One caution (I know this is like drinking from a firehose right now): the last thing you want is him to be fired for cause. He could lose any retirement benefits that way. Think long and hard about his taking short- then long-term diasability and applying for SSDI. There may be an expedited pathway for getting SSDI approved, and then he will be eligible for Medicare one year after SSDI approval, that will at least help with the medical expenses.

Hi, Alzwife,

I'm sorry you have to be here, but glad you found a place to share your situation. My husband is a couple years older than yours, and I also began noticing symptoms several years ago. Hitting roadblocks is a familiar scenario. Just recently we got a diagnosis of MCI, and it took a traumatic event to get there. I really think he's farther along, but because he is high functioning and performs his own ADL's, it's difficult for some to see past that and into the lack of insight, questionable judgement, and apathy he experiences on a daily basis. We both still work full time as well, so I understand the concerns and decisions you are facing there. One thing to prepare for is the possibility of your spouse not being able to work. Even with our spouses being able to perform their jobs and with support provided, things could change with little or no warning. It might be a good idea to look into what avenue you will take if working is no longer possible.

Keep posting an updating. You're in good company here!