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What has changed in a year and a half
Greetings all. In September 2023, I moved both my parents into my home. My dear mom has Alzheimer's. My dear dad has mild cognitive impairment. They are 85 and 87 respectively. For more background, see the discussion at https://alzconnected.org/discussion/64542/moving-my-folks-into-my-house#latest btw - I copied and pasted…
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Cataract surgery with dementia
New here…. and I am finding this forum very helpful. My mom is 85 and is blind in one eye and they are recommending cataract surgery for her good eye. She is definitely in mid stage of dementia. I scheduled this procedure for her and am nervous if I am doing the right thing. The surgery will take 10 minutes and I will be…
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Motor Skills help
DH is late stage 6/early 7. We have been told that the next milestones for him will be mobility issues and then eating issues. He seems to be unable to do things like lift his foot on command. He will go up and down stairs (slowly) but when I ask him to lift his foot to get his pajamas on he seems to be unable to do so. I…
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“Borrowing” memories that aren’t their own?
My mom lives with us and has for a little over a year (moved from one part of a very large state to a very very much different part of the state, very far in distance even if driving in one day). She has twice brought up “I remember when…” memories of events she wasn’t here for but that we had gone to and described or…
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Not sure what to do anymore
My mother has dementia that has not officially been diagnosed because she refuses to cooperate with any doctors or complete any testing. I believe she has vascular dementia due to her consistently dangerously high blood pressures (that she refuses to take meds for, which are prescribed) and a CAT Scan showed damage, but no…
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New Here – Caring for My Husband and Our Young Family
Hi everyone, I’m new to the community and just wanted to introduce myself. I’m 45, and I’ve been caring for my 51-year-old husband who has dementia caused by Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). We’ve been together for years, and it’s heartbreaking to see how much this disease has taken from him—and from us. He…
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New to the group
Hi everyone, I am so relieved to have found this group. Mh (67) was diagnosed in January. Early stage of dementia. He is also a type 1 diabetic. I’m trying my best to cope and get through each day. It is hard to say the least. I say to myself, let’s have a good day! Some days are better than others. I have ordered the 36…
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Taking Away Driving Privileges
My DH (57) was diagnosed a little over a year ago with EOAD. He’s not quite in stage 4 yet, and still drives only to places in a 5 mile radius of home. And only to places that he goes regularly like the grocery store and they gym. I know that eventually he will have to stop driving but I dread that because he feels that’s…
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New here, young adult child looking for connection and support
Hi, I’m 33 years old and my 74 year old mom was recently diagnosed, although we’ve seen it for the last couple years. I live in California and she lives in Ohio with my dad. I also have an older sister that lives a few hours away from my parents. Mom and I have been really close and talk on the phone every day on my drive…
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Not sure the MC facility has my mother's ADLs addressed
About three months ago I noticed a few things lacking in my mother's room regarding her personal care. One was that she did not have any toothpaste, shower soap or washcloths. I wondered how they were properly bathing or brushing her teeth. I also noticed the toilet paper roll was down to the last few squares and there was…
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Sister care giver♥️
I am 16 years younger then my sis who is now living with me and my Husband and grown children and my granddaughter . She is forgetting who we are earlier each day. And constantly wants to go home. I my sister has been my rock my whole life and I’m not sure I can keep doing this it’s making me sick , high blood pressure…
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Caregiving help for a parent - what has worked well for you?
My brother and I care 24/7 for a mom with ALZ, probably middle stage. We both work full time, but my brother is able to work from home, so that is the only way we have been able to manage it. We have both developed chronic health problems, probably from the years of stress as we have been managing Mom's care for several…
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MIL with dementia
My first time posting. My husband and I are the primary caregivers for his parents who live in their own house next door. Mom is 83 with vascular dementia and Dad is 86 with Alzheimer’s. Mom is getting more and more agitated. They still love playing game and cards but if mom doesn’t get her way she becomes very mean to me.…
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Hallucinations
I am the 24/7 caregiver for my wife who suffers from mid to early late term dementia. She has had various hallucinations, usually after wakening in the AM, but recently has had one that repeats itself, and she bring it up all day long. She repeated insists that "a man" comes to her bedroom and disrupts her things by either…
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Books about Alzheimer's Disease
I want to start a thread for books regarding Alzheimer's Disease and caregiving. I invite anyone with a pertinent book about Alzheimer's Disease or the other dementias to post. If someone has the link for Understanding the Dementia Experience, please post it here, so new members can readily find it. The first book I want…
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New to caregiving for self-centered husband
My husband was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and vascular dimentia, although I have seen the progression for many years. My hardest times are when he doesn't recognize me as his wife. He says I can't drive the cars because I am not on his insurance, he says he is single and doesn't want anyone living with him, that I…
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Holidays are the worst
As a caregiver for my DH who has mixed dementia and is in a mid to late stage of the disease I dread holidays. On July 4th people will be going places and doing things. I will be home but not quite home alone. DH does sleep much and is in a constant state of rage to the point where it is best if I don't talk to him at all.…
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Bowel incontinence
My DH is still in the mild stage. I can leave him home alone for a few hours. He walks the dog without getting lost. But, he has urinary incontinence at night. Lately he has developed bowel incontinence. I’m not sure what to do about the bowel incontinence. Any ideas?
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Medications for mood
DH is in stage 5 EOAD. He takes 100 mg of Zoloft for depression and anxiety. It mostly helps but he continues to walk around the house saying he is lonely and nobody wants to be with him. I am always there except when I work. I have caregivers in the house so when he says he lonely I remind him I am right here. I actually…
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Numb to other causes of sadness now?
I’ve been grieving and sad since my husband’s diagnosis last month. This week, my mother unexpectedly passed. I cried the day she died. But then I haven’t been crying about that. I wonder if I’m emotionally numb from so much trauma or if someone unexpectedly passing is easier (for lack of a better term) than being with…
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Am I going to die?
Recently my DH (56 yo EOA & FTD) has been asking me if he is going to die from this? He’s progressing and he’s scared and noticing the problems he’s having. How do I answer this? I don’t want to scare him or get him upset. I try to answer as vague as I can without getting upset every time he asks.
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Only Mean to Caregiver
My 89-year-old father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 6 months ago. He reserves all his anger, paranoia and hurtful words for my mother (caregiver). No one else sees/hears it. I am learning that he did this on a smaller scale for a lot of years but mom never told me until now because it has been amplified due to the…
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New member caregiver needing a support group
I would like to connect with other spouses whose loved one is in assisted living. I've tried Alz.support groups with all caregivers, but having DH in a facility (just starting year 6) creates some different feelings than when he was home.
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Peapod Mats
Until the last month or so I didn’t understand why I’d have to worry about the furniture or mattress. My husband wears the really good incontinence briefs from Parentgiving. But lately he seems to have forgotten what the toilet is for, and has multiple accidents a day. The briefs can only hold so much. I try to change him…
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New to this and looking for any advice!
Hello everyone, My mom has all the symptoms of Alzheimer’s but is very stubborn and living in denial and doesn’t want to admit she has a problem and her symptoms are getting worse and worse affecting both of our lives daily. I am in my early 20’s and an only child who is trying to care for her mom but I’m limited in what I…
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Learning stage 8
I spent so much time on this site while caring for my DH, and you all helped me so much more than you may know. I feel like I'm still in the 'middle ground' between caring for him and living without him. One thing that I didn't really expect is that grieving changed when he passed. I had been grieving the incremental…
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Sexual Behavior in Husbands
Super sexed DH II feel like I am the only 75+ caregivers whose husband is constantly wanting to make love or touch, lay with, hug or kiss me. Do others deal with this and shadowing? Does anyone have help or suggestions? I'm over loved😗
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Stage 6 - How Much Medical Care is Appropriate?
My DH is in stage 6 in memory care. He has afib and CHF which is managed with meds. He has a cardiologist appointment the end of July for a check-up. It has become extremely challenging trying to take him for appointments because he is so confused. I am questioning why I should even take him. He is a DNR and I have already…
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Partner’s Legs Won’t Respond — Is This Common in Later Stages?
My partner is in a later stage of Alzheimer’s, and over the past few weeks, their ability to move has drastically declined. They used to be able to stand with some help, but now it’s like the brain isn’t sending the message to the legs anymore. No injury, just a complete lack of response. This has made daily care really…
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Mobility concern
Hello everyone. My mother is 75 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia officially in 2020. Lately, my mom has been needing more help with walking around the house. Last week, she fell in the bathroom; she was looking in the mirror and just fell backwards. I’ve also noticed that she leans to her…