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Seroquel
I’m new to the community. My dad has dementia these past 5 years on namenda and donezepil. Lately he has started so sundown and will start having these episodes of looking for his wallet and blaming my mom (main caregiver) she’s stealing his money. Our doctor said to try seroquel but I’m scared as when I’m reading about…
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Absolutely CRAZY in the mornings
Every morning now since a month or so .. She is totally confused, agitated, shaking, paces back and forth in the kitchen , crying, does not want to live anymore, terrified of not understanding her surroundings, does not know what to do … Then slowly she calms herself , we supervise her while she makes her coffee, her…
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My dad is 63 with Early on set
Just wanting some support. My dad was diagnosed with Early onset Alzheimer's in September of 2023 and it seems that it is progressing very fast. He now needing help putting on clothes, seeing things that are not there, moving his hands like he is fixing something in the air, bothering well, and struggling with holding…
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Tips for What To Say
So…..my mom has failed to recognize me as her daughter. She refers to me in the third person, "Daisy," does this or "Daisy," does that. When she asks me what "my" name is, I say, "Daisy." When I give her my last name, of course, it's the same as "her daughter's." When she asks me about my birthday, I say the same one as…
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Middle of the night convo made me laugh
DH: (Sleeping soundly, suddenly asks a thoughtful question at 2 a.m.): ”Are you fixing…my…” Me: (holding my breath a tad, in interpretation-prep mode. Not sure where this is going or what it will mean for the rest of the wee hours I was hoping to just sleep) DH:… “Trans-ma-tazz-ma-tay-shun?” Me: (Thinking. Stumped!) “Uhh,…
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undiagnosed
My MIL exabits many symptoms of dementia. None of the adult children have medical POA. The FIL and MIL have medical POA on each other but that is all. Both are just under age 80 and FIL has physical ailments while MIL has dementia symptoms. I communicate with their primary. Due to HIPPA it is a one sided conversation. All…
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Does it really matter what we call it??
My DH has hadcognitive issues for many years. I noticed it when I retired 12 yrs ago. Executive function deficits, no initiative. Withdrawn, apathy. He was in denial. 6 yrs ago physical problems manifested. Sitting most of day, extreme chronic constipation, balance issues, autonomic dysfunction, nightly sleep problems.…
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When to go from AL to Memory Care?
Wondering how we determine when the right time is to move mom from Enhanced Assisted Living to Memory Care. The plan is to move her to the Memory Care wing at her current Sr Living bldg where she is in the Enhanced Assisted Living setting. She has always been an anxious person, is currently on Zoloft and…
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Missing my life
just missing that “Someone loves me “ feeling 🥲
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Hospitalization for agitation-round 3
As some of you know, my DH spent much of last month hospitalized for aggressive behavior at his memory care. He spent a month at 2 different Geri psych hospital units, with a four-day break at his memory care between hospitalizations. This time he made it two weeks before getting sent out of his memory care for taking a…
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Seeing the worst in me
I’m new to ALZConnect. but have cared for my wife over the last five years as she has suffered with mild cognitive impairment. The formal Alzheimer’s diagnosis came 12/ 2024 and she is declining more rapidly. My DW has always been controlling, and recently started accusing me of steamrolling decisions without her consent.…
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MC Care Plan meeting tomorrow/Monday afternoon
Hi community, I am seeking feedback on the notes I've made for Dad's Care Plan meeting at his new MC Community tomorrow. If I am out of line I am inviting you to point this out to me please. Thanks in advance. Notes below: Sometimes it is hard for me to know when it's Alzheimer's talking and when it's really what Dad is…
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Hint: preparing food in oven is less stressful
I cook most meals for PWD, unless it's takeout. I found that using an oven causes fewer problems, since using a cooktop will often encourage PWD to "help", which causes more problems and poses danger. With an oven (let's say it's baked cod on a sheet pan), you can quickly prep, put into oven and wait until done. While this…
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Is there any early warning system for dementia?
I am worried about my grandmother and grandfather developing dementia. Although they don't have any clear symptoms yet, they often forget small things, which concerns me. My great grandmother passed away due to dementia, so I am even more worried. The dementia screening tests seem too simple and unreliable, and it feels…
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Caregiver costs
I am at the stage with my DH that I may be needing care during the night so I can get sleep. Due to the cost of caregivers for 12 hrs, it is cost prohibitive. Any ideas?
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In home care for DH
I am caring for my DH and finding it harder by the day. DH is incontinent at night, which means changing clothes, sometimes bedding, anyone else out there have the same issue. Sometimes twice a night. He wears depends and an inner pad. Because of being up with him, I am exhausted, as I am tge sole caregiver at night.…
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Caregiver burn out
Hi there. I am living with and caring for my Mom and I believe she has Vascular dementia. She is bedridden and I snapped on her the other day. I am having a respite now, but I am feeling awful for my actions. I am having panic attacks, and am working with my doctor to take some ant anxiety medication, but I still feel…
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Leqembi
Curious if anyone has seen any improvement with their loved one receiving infusions. My DH has had 10 and we have a long way to go but I’m not feeling very hopeful.
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Spouse is aware of memory loss
Just wondering if anyone has a loved one who is aware of their memory loss. My DH will realize he is forgetting things. He is worse than what he thinks he is at. He absolutely refused to do the neuro-psych test to see where he is at. He has no physical issues to cause dementia so he was diagnosed with ALZ. My mom with…
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ravastigmine vs donepezil
My DH's neurologist seems very knowledgable and nice but sometimes things confuse me. My DH was taking donepezil, but the neurologist switched him to revastigmine because he takes escitolopram for depression and apparently there is a risk from taking donepezil with escitalopram. From what I have seen it looks like a…
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Researching FACILITIES: Care Managers? Who to trust? What questions to ask? Where to begin?
My husband is only 56 and probably in stage 4. I understand that it's important that I research options for memory care now (or soon), because things can decline abruptly with early-onset AD. I got a list of "care managers" from the Alzheimer's Association hotline folks but they were careful to tell me that they "don't…
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Dental care
DH has always been meticulous about self care and would never consider missing a shower. Same thing about dental care. I find that ever so gradually this is changing. Once in awhile he wants to skip a shower. It happens rarely so I haven’t yet made a big deal of it. I’m more concerned about dental care as he does have some…
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Repeated falls
My DH has now been in AL for two years, with Parkinson’s disease that has caused severe physical disability and advancing dementia. He is in a wheelchair, and needs assists with all his ADL’s. He is supposed to call for help with all transfers but he does not recognize that he is disabled, which I have learned here…
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My great grandmother passed away
My great grandmother passed away due to dementia. Since she was very old, we didn't take her symptoms seriously, which I believe prevented us from detecting dementia early. Looking back, early diagnosis of dementia seems to be the most important thing. She had symptoms of delirium, but we didn't think much of it. It wasn't…
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Hospice denial / appeal
Hi there. My name is Angela and we are caring for my father in law who is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. He is on a level 7e on the FAST scale. He is 100% bed ridden, doesn’t talk, sleeps 15-19 hours a day, in a diaper 24/7, cannot feed himself and starting to having some troubles swallowing. He has been on hospice…
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DW scared me today
I was shocked to my core today. DW is late stage 6 or early 7 - 6 1/2 years since EO diagnosis. This morning when I got her out of bed, her facial expression said it all - she was lost and terrified. DW has been in a relative calm stage of over the last year, so this was a sudden change. And I couldn't reach her. After…
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Disqualified from hospice
My dad was just put on hospice. I know some of you had LO that were on hospice but was eventually discharged. What would disqualify a person from hospice?
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Suggestions for software for keeping track of everything
I think I should start keeping stuff organized and am wondering if anyone is using any particular software that they find useful. So far, everything I have has just been written down in a book and the stuff that's printed off is in a folder. I would love to just get everything into a program that will make it easy for me…
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Approaches and ways of handling Memory Care upsets with Dad
Hi Community, I value your experiences and your input. My learning curve on these issues is pretty steep here. A few updates and then some new questions for you. Dad's transition to a 2nd memory care (b/c it is in the same state where I live) continues to be challenging. I now have the Alexa, so at least that has paused…