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Medication Difficulties
Hello everyone. I can’t say I’m very new here, but this is my first post. I’ve been (what my husband would say is “lurking”) in the background - reading and learning from all of you who have travelled this path before me. Thank you so much for your comments and candor, it’s already made my life better by knowing you’re…
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Personal Stigma
Why is the stigma associated with mental health, dementia, Alz, etc. so pervasive? It affects all of us, even those afflicted……
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Obsessions
Hey dear people, again, new to this and can't imagine this journey that I'm on and how long it will last without losing my mind... I'm not being disrespectful, it's just where else can I voice my frustrations and worries~ so my DH seems to find a topic (finances, an old worry, etc.) and fret for hours on end, going into…
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Early onset: navigating caregiving AND parenting simultaneously
Lately, I've been feeling more ready to wander around these forums and read about the struggles and heartbreaks of other caregivers. We are fairly new to this reality and I'm finding acceptance of our circumstances little by little. I recently found the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) and it's given me such a…
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Mother not cooperating with maid
My mother ,aged 66,is not able to go to washroom by herself We have maid,who helps her, recently she is not cooperating with her as well. Other than my sister,she does not allow anyone else to be with her. Need suggestions....to deal with mother Also,she is hallucinating....she looks at herself in mirror and gets hyper...…
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Grieving and Planning
Hello All- My first post ever. I am 40 years old and moved in to help my father 78 who was diagnosed with alz in 2020-- but had been declining for over a decade. He has really progressed and is incontinent, very weak, and disoriented. He recently had a fall in the shower and we had to call 911 for a lift assist-- it was…
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Therapeutic Lie
Hi everybody! I was looking for some advice on how to explain to my mom (60 with ALZ) the idea of starting to go to an adult day care program. There’s this wonderful program that’s 5 minutes away from us, in a senior center that my mom is familiar with already because her mom used to go there. I’be recently heard the term…
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I'm so tired.
My great grandma recently moved in with me. I knew there would be an adjustment period, but months later the behavior is only getting worse. She doesn't ever sleep a full night and is just never happy. She is 94 and acts like the biggest diva. Almost like the entire would should be ready to serve her and nothing is ever…
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Mom is hitting; is it reasonable to expect an action plan?
I'm new here, struggling to find some info so any help is appreciated! - also, sorry for how long this is. Last fall, my sister and I convinced our dad to put Mom in memory care. She's advanced enough that she can't manage personal hygiene or communicate her needs effectively. Mom has this fun thing where she often has…
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Never Dealt With Alzheimer's Before and Need Some Guidance
Hello. I have never been close to someone who had Alzheimer's before (I'm 54) and I need some guidance, please. My father (Jamie) passed away in 1988 at age 50 from brain cancer. His best friend, Charlie, has been close to me ever since. He gave me away at our wedding. He's now 87 and has been in good health his entire…
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Unsure about my diagnosis
I had a brain scan that showed my hippocampus is at 5%, but no tau tangles so it’s not Alz. My speech is slower then it was, I forget things all the time, I have trouble with thinking things through. My emotions are ridiculous. How long before I’m lost?
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New fast progressing signs of Dementia
Hi new here and in search of helpful feedback. My 85 year old dad has not been officially diagnosed with dementia yet but his pcp and er doctors all agree that he is showing all signs of being that. His behavior has changed so rapidly. He started with spying on all of us, my mom, my boyfriend and myself. We thought it was…
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New paranoia- Passenger Seat
It was around a year ago when I first saw my mother have a severe panic attack riding in the passenger seat. I had no idea why she was so upset, she couldn't look at the road, and eventually started crying. I try to comfort her from the back seat. The person driving wasn't speeding and it was not heavy traffic yet she kept…
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Catastrophic Reaction to pain
My mother, 83 , Mixed Dementia (Vascular & Alzheimers) mid to late stage, lives with me and has been Physically able to transfer and walk with a walker us to this point. However, she had a fall last week, and even though she didn't fracture her hip or pelvic area, she is reacting to the pain in such a severe and dramatic…
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Need advice--meds, good days, bad days, anticipatory grief
Hi, this is long but I don't know that it can be abbreviated. My mom is 86 and has been having symptoms of dementia for the past couple years. I don't know which kind she has because she has not been formally diagnosed by a neurologist. I suspect it is lewy body. Anyway, it has gotten really bad last November after having…
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Fed up from the life.
Previously i posted about me feeling that i am forgetting things and losing my memory. I don't remember any happy memories seems they are somewhere in the dark and as much as i know I had many happy memories with kids, family and with the person I love. I am in love with a person, i am going through many things, having…
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Feeling Attacked by Well-Meaning Friends
My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's almost a year ago now. She lived alone and was really not doing well and she lived 100+ miles away from me. I took some advice and found a really nice MC facility and (thank goodness) put a deposit down. I dreaded the thought of driving my Mom 100 miles to the MC I had reserved for…
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Trust is gone..
I'm just kind of thinking about our relationship because it's Valentine's Day. After his outbursts of screaming and throwing objects last week, as well as telling me he's going to "leave me" I'm not sure what to believe. This week is a whole different ball game with multiple requests that I forgive him. I do forgive him…
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Calming meds for anxiety?
Hi, when music, diversion, soft textures, fresh air•••golf kart ride etc won't comfort Mom's agitation, sundowners type intense anxiety. Are there any prescribed medications that work well in anyone out there's situations Thank you
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Incontenence
My 96 year old father refuses to wear pull-ups but he can't make it to the bathroom fast enough with his walker. He wets himself all day. And he makes a mess when using the bathroom for #2. Also, he refuses to bathe or let anyone wash him. He's very defiant. We were thinking of giving him an anxiety medication to help him…
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Support & Advice
Hi. My name is Kate & I am new to the forum. My mom has been living in a memory care facility for a little over two years now just a few months after my dad died abruptly. The last two years have not been the easiest with losing a parent & losing a parent to dementia. My siblings and I relationship has been estranged since…
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Starting diagnosis process
Hello, my 91 year old dad has been showing signs of confusion and memory loss for about a year now. A few months ago he fell and had to be in the hospital and rehab. The fall has caused issues with his kidneys and heart. We elected to move him to an assisted living facility. He is completely wheelchair bound and a major…
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Panic with incontinence
Hi this is Pat, I care for my 87-yr old, ex who is in stage 6 dementia. My biggest concern is his panic when he feels the urge to urinate. Although he can still walk (slowly) on his own, he is so determined to get to the bathroom, that he has almost fallen a couple of times. I have a bed alert in his room so I can assist…
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Doctors appointments help!
I just took my mom yesterday to a new primary care. I just moved her closer to me and so we are starting from ground zero. She was undiagnosed before she left her last doctor but had taken a cognitive test and shows signs of dementia. Anyway, at this doctors appointment she told the doctor absolutely nothing. Told her she…
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Want to connect with others whose parents have long-term mental health issues
I'm new here and looking to connect with people who are caring for parents with long-term mental health issues. My mother was finally diagnosed with co-occurring AD and clinical depression after a suicide attempt in December 2021. However, she has a long history of untreated mental health problems. Her depression and…
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Caring for Grandma
Good morning. I'm new here. My wife's grandmother is in mid stages of Alzheimer's and is at home. Grandpa is her primary caretaker and does not want to move her to a memory care facility. He also doesn't allow much help. My wife and I go over every couple of weeks to wash grandma's hair and try to get her into a change of…
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What to do after the diagnosis
My dad was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. However, his neurologist said he’s been on the cognitive decline for about 3 years already. Unfortunately, I only started noticing changes in his personality and memory at the beginning of this year. The things that were most noticeable were problems with his short term…
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How to communicate with a parent in denial
Hello! Rather abruptly it has become clear my mom will need to be in MC for at least the immediate short term, or even longer. She had an episode of delirium after attempting to travel solo to a family member, and while she has largely recovered, her baseline is way worse than before this episode. She was released from the…
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Refusing care
My mom lives with me, I’m 62 and she’s 84, I think she has dementia but I can’t get her to leave the house. She refuses to see a doctor stating there’s nothing wrong, says she’s dying and there’s nothing to be done. She’s been refusing solid food for many months only drinking ensure for sustenance and smoking. She really…