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Im new to this...Looking for guidance

ineed300
ineed300 Member Posts: 1 Member
in I Am a Caregiver (General Topics)
Hello, I am new here and new to this world of dementia. My dad (lives with me) was diagnosed with ALZ last year. He is still independent for the most part and he is still driving (for now). I have started to take over paying his bills and keeping his banking straight. We do have the will and living will taken care of. What I have been looking for is an education on what resources are available to us (him and me). What kind of assistance is available? What do I need to be doing as a caregiver? Is there help out there to get through this process? I don't have any experience in caregiving nor this disease. So, I am just trying to figure this all out and see what is out there.

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  • H1235
    H1235 Member Posts: 577
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    Welcome! This is a great staging tool you might find helpful. There are other great resources in the group section under new caregiver help. This forum is a great place to go to ask questions, get information, or even vent about a difficult day. You didn’t mention a durable power of attorney. This is something you will want to look into if you haven’t already. Most counties have a commission on aging. That might be a good place to start. On this website there is an option to find local resources. Hospitals sometimes offer dementia education classes. You could also You tube Teepa Snow. She is a great resource. We do the best we can, but we are all just muddling through this the best we can.


    https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6372d16ea4e02c7ce64425b7/t/63f7b80d80d8aa3e3aa4a47d/1677178894184/DBAT.pdf

  • dancsfo
    dancsfo Member Posts: 297
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/224513#Comment_224513

    I'd focus on safety as well and there may be dangers that are not obvious to you. As you allude to, your dad is still driving but you sense it may not last long safely. In reality, the time may have already passed, if you notice small dents or scratches, so you may want to prepare for taking away keys before someone gets killed. There are other issues that the education classes can teach, such as locking things away, removing poisonous materials, etc. Basically dementia proofing is similar to toddler proofing.

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 973
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    read the book “The 36 Hour Day” which helped me after my husband’s diagnosis. First priority Durable Power of Attorney. Medicare doesn’t help much. In many states if he qualifies financially he can have both Medicare and Medicaid. If he is a Veteran, and gets healthcare at the VA, they have Caregiver Support and other programs that he might qualify for. Contact your County Aging & Disabled Agency. Call the Alzheimer’s toll free number for more info.

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 973
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    also talk to an Elder Care Attorney for other options.

  • jfkoc
    jfkoc Member Posts: 3,878
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    alz.org is a very informative site….take a look…allowing yourself time because the info is huge….

  • Jgirl57
    Jgirl57 Member Posts: 487
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    welcome, you wil be glad you found this forum. Read as much as you can and see what resources are in your area. Many counties have Councils for Aging or agency’s for aging . The Tam Cumming DBAT staging tool will be helpful to determine his progression . You can google it or find it on this forum. Breathe and take things one step at a time

  • Iris L.
    Iris L. Member Posts: 4,418
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    Ride in the car with him and see how he drives. PWDs develop agnosia, meaning they don't recognize what is right in front of them, even though their eyes are fine. Also they lose depth perception and cannot judge distances or the speed of an on-coming car. There are many threads about driving

    Iris

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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