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First time out
Today I took my mom out for an adventure from her LTC facility. She has been there for 3 weeks and I thought i would see if she could handle going to familiar places with me. Wrong,,, she did not recognize our house which I am glad for, since we just needed to just stop in and drop off the dog. She had no clue this was…
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Looking for tips with sundowning episodes
Hello everyone, very glad to have found this forum. So my mom’s dementia has progressed fairly fast since 2022. For the last month or so her sundowing episodes have been overwhelming. I would appreciate any tips and tricks you can share. Thank you in advance. 🙂🙏🏻
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Re-posting for new member MariaT - alcohol and dementia struggles
MariaT says: This is my first time on the forum. I was feeling very alone, thinking that no one else had to face dementia plus alcohol dependence (white wine) in a spouse, which makes everything so much worse and harder. Of course, his doctors have told him he must stop, but he remembers nothing and gets angry at the very…
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Sneaking Alcohol and Driving
My DH was diagnosed with MCI about four years ago. He scored low in short term memory and executive functioning on his neuropsych exam. 2023 was absolute hell with sneaking alcohol, voluntary commital for suicide plan not acted out but still threatens suicide, physical violence twice (I wouldn't let him drive off in…
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Mom broke her hip two days ago
This past Sunday, I got a call from my Mom's Memory care. She had fallen and they thought her hip was broken. She was sent ambulance to the nearest trauma center and it was determined she did indeed break her hip (femoral head). They did surgery the same day and replaced the femoral head. My Mom was fully ambulatory, and…
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Zoom
hi are there any zoom meetings for a spouse that has a husband with early onset FLD he is 40
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Clonepin? Or Seroquel?
My DH is on Clonepin. As I understand, it’s kind of like Xanax. His main issue is his agitation about wanting to go home to his parents every day. (Parents long gone). He begs for hours every day to “go home”. The Clonepin helps to some degree but it’s not a miracle drug. Would Seroquel be a better option?
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Help! Dealing with Mom wanting to go home
Mom has been in memory care for one month. She's asking to go home per usual, and I am following the points suggested to me to redirect, etc. My question is emotionally how do you deal with the guilt of it all? I am so sad, and just want to tell her the truth (of course, I won't..she's unable to process) but the feelings…
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going to bathroom
I'm new here, taking care of my 75 yo wife who has dementia. Lately, last few weeks, she has been sitting on the toilet for hours on end (8-10-12 hours a day) feeling like she has to go after already having done her business. Doc says it's the dementia that makes her feel that there's more to come. Don't know how to get…
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Dealing with the rollercoaster of emotions... FTD/Pick's DH56
Oh guys. These rollercoaster of emotions. We are newly diagnosed, but it's like crossing the finish line of part 1 of this psychological thriller. I feel like I've been living in hell for over 10 years as DH's personality and emotions changed before my eyes and I was the only one who could see. When I shared with a…
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Geriatric vs. Regular psychiatrist
I don't want to sound cruel or that I don't care. My bf (44yo) was referred to a geriatric psychiatrist to help with "the man in the mirror... his reflection in general" the closest gery psych is almost 45 mins away. My question is, is there truely a difference between a regular psychiatrist and a geriatric psychiatrist…
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Scary Adventure
Yesterday, (around 2pm) somewhat expected, my LO announced she was going home (usuall) but since it was close she was going to walk (usuall), i interjected “got an errand to run, ill take you” and we got in the car (usuall), went to leave the driveway - “that’s the wrong way, my house is the other way (unusual). Agitated…
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Dementia vs stage 4 lung cancer - advice neede
(cross posted from caring for a parent) For those who have experience being a caregiver for someone who has significant co-morbidities, could you help me understand how to address my MIL’s changing needs? MIL is almost 92. She has had lung cancer for 10 years. The oncologist believes the tumors are very slow growing due to…
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The rest of the story
DH was diagnosed with lung cancer -- aggressive -- the first week in March. There was nothing to be done. The sudden worsening of memory, vision issues, abdominal issues, lessening appetite and energy - it was not from a progression of his neurological disease but the cancer accelerating the neurological symptoms. He was…
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Do You Talk To Yourself Out Loud As A Caregiver?
I have started talking out loud to myself (Not within DH’s hearing) both to vent about something DH has done or said and to try and calm myself. I say “it is not him, it is the disease” or “I can get through this” or even have back and forth mini-conversation with me, myself and I! Does anyone else do this? Am I losing it?
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Got it
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Disregard
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He ate the diaper cream 🥹
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SSDI
My DH gets a pension from local government retirement. He worked many years prior to that job paying into SS so he does receive some SS income but it is reduced due to Government Pension Offset. Will the GPO or his pension affect his eligibility for SSDI based on his alzheimers? Thinking about future needs, SSDI could…
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Grieving my dad
Hello everyone, I'm new here and I hope it's ok for me to post here even though I'm not a caregiver. I'm 24. My dad was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia almost 6 years ago, during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college. My parents are both in their early 60s and my mom is my dad's primary…
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Father on a fixed income
My dad is located in CA and is living on a small fixed income (less than $2,000 a month). He has zero savings and I am not in a position to help fiscally or in a position to have him live with me. Trying to find any additional help has been impossible. Does anyone know of organizations that help. He is currently in a…
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Sad realization
As things progress, despite the number of trips each day and distractions along the way (stopping to visit family, watch sailing competitions at local college, run an errand, stop at A&W for a shake and burger (our first date included A&W) or whatever, is seems that we are increasingly unable to find “home”. The arrival at…
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Suggestions on how to introduce companion services, please?
I think it's time for companion services for my DH. His friends have slipped away and I know he is lonely. I can fill some of his friendship needs, but he definitely needs more socialization. It's been suggested that I start introducing a new "friend" to him but how do I do that? It has also been suggested that I introduce…
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SOS- is Zinc Oxide (20%) Cream Edible?
Driving & look in the mirror… DH looks like he just had the best meal ever. Smeared all over his mouth & chin & he’s chewing! Pulled over & see he’s retrieved the butt cream from our “go” bag. And has a plastic SPOON with half a bite left on it.!!! I wiped out as much as possible (getting bitten) & am calling poison…
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Attitude issue
My oldest and dearest friend died yesterday after an 18 month battle with glioblastoma. My husband doesn't remember her illness, our multiple visits with her or her death. He keeps asking how I am and reacts badly when he doesn't get a cheerful reply. I just can't do it, the grief is too great. This has added another layer…
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Power of Attorney
Hi. I'm new here. My mom is 90 and was diagnosed with vascular dementia about five years ago. The decline had been relatively slow, but getting significantly faster the last few months. I'm wondering about POA. While there's an advanced directive in place, I never thought about POA because 1) I'm the only child, 2) there's…
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Moving MWD To Indiana
Hi! My mom who lives in FL was diagnosed with ALZ in June 2023. It has progressed quickly that by December was confusing me with her deceased sister, missing medications, taking the next morning of meds after every nap, forgetting where my brother & I live etc. She lives alone in FL but has a boyfriend who comes over daily…
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POA and Uncle who is mad and is threatening to change it
Hi everyone. My sister and I are new to taking care of our Uncle who has dementia. My Aunt (his wife of 70 years) died last year. We have started seeing that he is declining. He says he has a million dollars in a bank that consumers can't even have accounts, he just went out and bought a brand NEW truck for 65k in cash and…
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How do I best help Mom, the caregiver?
Hello~ first post. My parents both turned 80 and Dad was officially diagnosed with stage 5 Alzheimer’s dementia the same week. His progression through early stages was very slow~ we’ve noticed little things for seven or so years~ but he had COVID in January, and the big slide began… I live 90 minutes away from them with my…
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Catheter
My dad, 88, with VD, has an indwelling catheter due to inability to void due to enlarged prostate. He refuses to take meds for enlarged prostate. Lately he's been asking the urologist to discontinue the catheter. He didn't want to wear it for the rest of his life. I understand it is very uncomfortable and painful. He asked…