New here

My DH was diagnosed 6 years ago. I took him to a neurologist to rule out other things like a tumor etc… I suspected Alzheimer’s but was praying it was something else as he was only 59. He's definitely in stage 6 now and has declined since having Covid this summer. He sees his neurologist once a year. He has partnered me up with an organization called”rippl”. They are paid through Medicare and I don’t pay a thing. They help me with finding caregiving or anything I need also counseling for what I’m going through. They also send doctor a quarterly report of how DH is doing. This program has helped me a lot.
I totally understand how you feel about people understanding living with someone who has Alzheimer’s. I feel they don’t understand how much we go through every single day. Take care and know your not alone.

Welcome also. We never did formal testing and never saw a neurologist, were blessed with a very capable internist.

If you look to the right under quick links and groups, there is one for new members with a lot of useful and frequently cited information. Might be helpful.

yes it’s very new

Hi S&W, your situation in terms is isolation is similar to mine and DW's. Driving to appointments is a long-gone option for us, hooked up quarterly zoom meetings through our PACE social worker with her Geri psych and some in-home day care to help me out. For me, was best to be prepared for sudden changes such as agitation and get some help in my home. Though you may feel your managing now and your DH may be calm, it may not last and burnout is a reality with all of us. One thing we all know with this disease is that change is a constant thing and if you can, consider getting some help, including in-home visits to better assist you living with this disease as well. Wishing you the very best and you are definitely not alone.

> @Aarron said:
> My DH was diagnosed 6 years ago. I took him to a neurologist to rule out other things like a tumor etc… I suspected Alzheimer’s but was praying it was something else as he was only 59. He's definitely in stage 6 now and has declined since having Covid this summer. He sees his neurologist once a year. He has partnered me up with an organization called”rippl”. They are paid through Medicare and I don’t pay a thing. They help me with finding caregiving or anything I need also counseling for what I’m going through. They also send doctor a quarterly report of how DH is doing. This program has helped me a lot.
> I totally understand how you feel about people understanding living with someone who has Alzheimer’s. I feel they don’t understand how much we go through every single day. Take care and know your not alone.

@sherryandwilliam look up paratonia (I think). It affects PWD ability to move arms. I just recently saw a Careblazer YouTube video about it. My MILwAD had difficulty moving her arms to get shirts on in the last few months of her life so I cut her shirts and gowns up the back, finished the edges, added ties (like a hospital gown) and I was able to just slip them on from the front when she was no longer able to do much to assist in her dressing. She usually wore a sweater or robe that was also easy to just slide on one arm, then the other arm without much arm motion. That way she still looked "dressed" to maintain her dignity (she wasnt bed bound until the last week of her life ) without the major struggle and feeling like i was hurting her. (Showering and washing were a big no-go though... )

they make clothing for dementia patients that open in the back and are easy to put on.

Here are a couple of tips for dressing: if it's a soft t-shirt, put it on his arms first, then stretch it up over his head and back. For a jacket it's the same idea: arms first, but lift the jacket up from hands to shoulders from the back. The t-shirt one is pretty easy even if he doesn't understand, but the jacket needs him to be fairly cooperative or at least keep still. :-)