-
The final blow to my Christmas spirit.....
My DH is in hospice care, and I know this will be his last Christmas. I have been trying to find some joy here and there, but on Wednesday my beloved 14-year-old kitty had to be put down. He had a mass in his abdomen and had stopped eating. His brother, my other kitty, died in September. I just feel like everything from my…
-
How to decide if family member with cognitive decline can be allowed to stay in home, living alone.
I am writing for advice about my sister who has been diagnosed with dementia that is vascular related, not Alzheimers. For the last five years, her declining decision making and ability to engage in executive functions, such as managing medications or finances, has become evident to me, her health care provider, and her…
-
Impulsive
DW decided this morning that she "had" to be at church early this morning to tell the pastors something. I caught myself realizing that this was one of those situations where I knew there would be no reasoning with her broken reasoner so we went early and upon arrival I just dropped her off at the door and parked the car…
-
I wish you all peace
This is an extremely difficult, unexpected journey we are all on. Every day has so many challenges, it sometimes feels like the rest of life is passing us by because our loved ones and our focus have become narrower. While everyone else is getting ready for Christmas, we struggle every day to give our very best and run on…
-
Capgras Syndrome
I believe my mother has Alzheimers. She is 78 years old. My father is her primary caregiver. The challenge is she often seems to have Capgras Syndrome. She will go through periods where she does not recognise him and thinks he is an imposter. My brother lives with them and tells her this is Dad. My Dad tells her it's him,…
-
Newly diagnosed with Dementia. Caregiver.
I am a caregiver for my husband who has Dementia. I am very sad to see my partner in life in this stage. Some days he is better than others. What book or reading materials would you recommend for me? Thank you.
-
Interesting article
After reading this, I truly believe that Gabapentin caused my DW’s EOAD. She was taking this prescription for her lower back pain caused by a car accident many years ago. Chronic and interventional painRisk of dementia following gabapentin prescription in chronic low back pain patients…
-
VETERANS NEW BENEFIT - Accelerated Benefit life insurance option
If your spouse is a veteran and has Veterans Group Life Insurance the new benefit allows a family member or an alternate applicant to apply for an Accelerated Benefit Option (ABO) on a member’s behalf, such as when a member is medically incapacitated. With accelerated benefits, you can get up to 50% of the face value of…
-
Behavior/cognitive changes after discontinuing donepezil and memantine
My DH just entered hospice. He was on maximum dosage of both donepezil and memantine but the hospice doctor immediately wanted to discontinue donepezil and lower memantine with the goal of stopping it as well. First, let me say, it was obvious my DH’s physical ability was declining when he was screened for hospice, but…
-
found out
I just found out today that my mom has Alzheimers. she's in her 60s and yes im in my 30s but its still a shock. I had to tell my 17yr old son today. The doctors caught it early on, however its still hitting me hard. how does someone cope with this news?
-
DH with mild dementia, sleeps a lot
DH sleeps 3 hours in the afternoon, @ 9 pm his eyes are closing. If I mention that he sleeps a lot, he gets angry and verbally Abusive. He is unable to help me in simple chores around the house that he used to. He doesn’t do much all day except go for one mile walk twice a day. Is this normal? How do I tackle this?
-
Wanting to go home...
I saw this on a Facebook post by Creative Carer. Great tips on what to say or do when our loved one says they want to "go home"… The desire to “go home” is heartbreakingly common in the later stages of dementia. During the last few years of my mum’s life, she often spoke about her parents and longed to be back with…
-
Refusing to shower
I have tried everything under the sun to try and help my mother (70) to shower. I have read articles, books, these discussions, you name it. I've tried things like a shower chair, washing her hair in the sink, washing her face in the sink, baby wipes. NOTHING helps when it comes to showering. Every time we approach the…
-
Feeling lonely and loosing hope.
This is my first post here, as I just joined today. My dear wife (DW) was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s back in February of 2022. I have been doing the best I can since the beginning, but I now realize I need some outside help. I’ve always been the type of person who thinks they can handle a lot and get things…
-
Our 1st day
My wife (65) had lab work done recently and today the results were posted to her account that the lab work indicated that she has Alzheimer’s and we received a referral for a PET scan that is needed by insurance to ok the IV treatment. My wife is devastated and I have no idea how to begin to comfort her.
-
Move to an apt. as a second home
Does anyone have experience with splitting time between two places? My dh is at his worst when it’s just the two of us home alone; he struggles with people and place recognition, including not knowing me probably 75% of the time. We live in a rural area on a lake and love our home, but given how difficult it’s becoming to…
-
Door Locks
Any recommendations for door locks to prevent loved one from wandering outside?
-
Acting out dreams while sleeping
My DH has started being vocal during his sleep and kicking and swinging his arms sometimes. I wake him up as he seems distressed. He says he was dreaming and was acting something out from his dream. He’s never done this before. Is this something typical for someone with dementia? Thank you.
-
Dad won't let Mom sleep (or clean or be on the phone)
Hello all, Apologies if this is somewhere on the forum already, I wasn't sure how to search for it. My dad was diagnosed with dementia about 2 years ago. He wants my mom's complete attention and so she has trouble going to care for her sister or being on the phone or internet or cooking or cleaning or sleeping! We help as…
-
The Caregiver’s Brain
Greetings Friends, I have not posted here in six months. My wife’s dementia has been moving at a snail’s pace. The days, weeks, and months have melded into a fuzzy blob of time, and one day is exactly like all the others. I am nine and a half years into care giving, and the word “decade” will soon be added to the divisions…
-
Can I Contact My DH’s Doctor Directly?
My husband has his own PCP and this doctor is very strict out privacy rules. In the past he has said I need to go through my DH if I want to send messages to him. What do I need to do to have the authority to speak with the doctor on my husband’s behalf? Is this when the DPOA comes in to play? Should I provide a copy to…
-
Recently diagnosed
I was diagnosed by a neurologist a few months ago The only testing I s were 2 EEG‘s one in office and a 2 day one at home and the psycologist with neurology which included variety of memory/skills testing. After that she said I had mild cognitive and she thought it was probably Lewy Body. Suggested driving test and sent me…
-
In pain, exhausted, and resentful
There is no one thing that I need to get off my chest. I'm just super annoyed and emotional. No matter how many of mom's doctors I give MY number to, they invariably or intentionally call hers. She cannot relay a straight message, and I am finding communicating with her to be a grand waste of time. This is a woman who was…
-
New to this whole thing
My husband, my best friend, was just diagnosed with AD. He is 65. He's had a amyloid/tau protein blood test, MRI, PET scan, neuropsych testing and it was determined that was the diagnosis. The neurologist was very scientific about what AD is but wouldn't tell us anything about progression or what to expect or what stage he…
-
Sleeping is increasing
My DW has been sleeping 10-13 hours a day. Until recently this sleeping has been all together. Bed at 5:00pm and up between 3:00-5:00am. Of course a couple of times each night to wander the house and return to bed. We were up this morning at 4:00am and it is now 1:00pm and she has already tucked herself in for the night.…
-
Talking To One Who Knows
My dear wife left us in August, 2025. That was when the floodgates of grief were finally opened fully and all that I had been managing for years was allowed to be unleashed. As so many have described, it is overwhelming and far more difficult than handling the care of my dear wife for years. It is such a raw,…
-
Angry
I’m not sure why, but all of a sudden I find myself angry at my husband. I snap at him when he asks me the same thing over and over. When he was diagnosed with ALZ I was able to stay calm and compassionate. Now I feel like I’m falling apart. Has anyone else experienced this. He’s in the early stages so he’s not even bad…
-
Am I The Only One
I am trusting this group to be as tolerant, supportive and open as I have continued to promote to others as I share some thoughts that have only recently started to become clear to me. I am an older male born just after WWII and I know that I am perhaps out of touch with popular thinking about the role of the male in a…
-
Leqembi Infusions
My husband is in early stage Alzheimers and our Neurologist recommended Leqembi. After much discussion my husband decided he wanted to try it even withe the serious side effects. After 3 infusions they did an MRI to look for side effects (brain bleeds). All was good. After the 5th infusion they repeated the MRI and it…
-
Taking a Patient out of Memory Care for Christmas?
This is my first question to the group - my mother has pretty severe Alzheimer's and is in a lovely memory care facility which she believes is temporary while we are putting an addition on our house for her. I live close by the memory care facility and some times take her our for a meal, for church, even over night for…