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Swelling in ankles and feet

Kat63
Kat63 Member Posts: 189
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in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

My DH is stage 7 and under Hospice care. His mobility has decreased quite a bit in the last month. From time to time he has had swollen ankles, and now this past week his feet are very swollen to where we can’t get his shoes on. Hospice nurse doesn’t seem overly concerned. I do plan to buy a lift recliner this weekend as he has trouble getting up and down from our chairs and can also elevate his feet to help with swelling. Just wondering if the swelling is normal at this stage of the disease?

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  • jgreen
    jgreen Member Posts: 82
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    Hi, @Kat63,

    I am so sorry you have reached this stage. I am not there just yet with DH.

    I think the recliner is a great idea. Getting in and out of the chair and also being able to raise his feet should help with his comfort and your piece of mind. Not sure why your DH will need his shoes, but if he likes to have something for warmth or stability, perhaps some slide on slippers, or sandals with straps that can be adjusted can serve both purposes. If he wears socks, get loose fitting ones - we get ‘diabetic socks’ for my husband and they do not restrict circulation.

    Next time hospice nurse visits, ask her to sit down and talk with you about stage 7 and what to expect. Be sure to ask about the ankle swelling to better understand why the nurse is not overly concerned. Find out what you should be doing to help keep your DH clean and comfortable. And how you can keep yourself nourished and rested as much as possible.

    I understand this stage is truly 24 hour care and I am praying for you. If you have family or friends who can sit with your DH while you take some ‘me time’ now is the time. Family can begin to tell DH how much they care about him and start saying goodbye. So many people regret that the did not do this after their LO passes.

    Check in with us, Kat. We care! Hugs and prayers.

  • Kat63
    Kat63 Member Posts: 189
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    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/259165#Comment_259165

    Thanks so much for your sweet response. Currently my DH is wearing LLBean slippers with a solid sole that I can get on his feet. I have wide shoes ordered from Buck and Buck which look like a normal athletic shoe but have a zipper along the side so I can get them on and off easily.

    My Hospice nurse is very nice and I am thankful to have them as they help so much with medications etc., but she is not really familiar with dementia stages. I did get a report from his last recertification and it list my DH at 7c. I will talk with the recertification nurse the end of next month as she has more experience and feel would be the person to ask about what to expect at this stage. Thanks again and have a great Thanksgiving.

  • ronda b
    ronda b Member Posts: 332
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    Is it possible to call hospice and just ask them to explain?

  • Phoenix1966
    Phoenix1966 Member Posts: 266
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    My grandmother was diagnosed with congestive heart failure by the time she was dipping her toe into stage 7. She wasn’t very mobile, so the only visible symptom of chf she had was her swollen feet/legs. She found compression socks uncomfortable and since we were really just keeping her comfortable at that point, we didn’t do anything other than try to convince her to keep her legs elevated as much as possible.

  • SDianeL
    SDianeL Member Posts: 2,596
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    I’m so sorry you are at this stage. I bought my DH a power recliner and he couldn’t figure out how to use it. The MC facility said they do not allow them because of accidents. I would call the hospice nurse familiar with dementia and not wait until the end of next month. I would ask about the swelling and the lift chair safety. Hugs. 💜

  • Biggles
    Biggles Member Posts: 598
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    Swelling of the feet and ankles my DH about stage 5/6 takes half a 25mg tablet Dithiazide hydrochlorothiazide

  • Biggles
    Biggles Member Posts: 598
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    ….daily

  • Metta
    Metta Member Posts: 93
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    I purchased a lift recliner from Wayfair so that I could have someone assemble it for us. My DH LOVES it, and I think the massage helps with circulation. My DH (Stage 7) gets cold purple-blue feet. The recliner is wonderful! He has a neck pillow and a blanket, and he spends his entire time out of bed there when not eating in his wheelchair.

  • H1235
    H1235 Member Posts: 1,355
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    I found special shoes on Amazon that were made for people with swollen feet. They were very easy to get on and off and the price was reasonable.

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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