Behaviors
Discussion List
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Can Sundowning happen in the morning
My husband is in late stage dementia and the regressive changes are happening quickly. Sundowning at around 5 pm is a familiar pattern, and we have come up with some steps that reduce the effects. A new problem — In the morning, we're seeing something like sundowning. He might withdraw, he might get angry, it's a new thing…
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Sexual aggression in MC
First post here...my dad was diagnosed with vascular dementia last summer. We recently had to move him into MC. He was adjusting well, but then he began exposing himself to others and some touching between him and others. He was moved out of MC onto a regular nursing home floor. A few days ago, the night nurse found him…
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Seeking Advice: Managing Toilets with Dementia Behaviors
My father has late-stage dementia and is exhibiting challenging behaviors that are making it difficult to maintain our home. He’s been pouring food down the toilets, which has caused clogs and damage. He also removed the bolts from one toilet, breaking the wax seal, and it’s now unusable. He’s fixated on guarding the…
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Mom troublemaking at AL
I have a Care Plan Meeting coming up next week, and I want to be prepared to respond to some of the issues the staff has reported to me regarding my mom… Just in the past week alone, she has "caused a scene" (Director of Wellness's words) regarding her bedtime medication — it was late getting to her and she walked down to…
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How to manage putting a pet down
Over the past several months our beloved cat’s nasal tumor has grown larger and her quality of life and weight have deteriorated. DW is middle-stage dementia and can’t seem to remember our discussions of when to let the cat go. Last week we agreed that it was time and scheduled it with the vet for tomorrow. We’ve talked…
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Dad gets aggressive
My dad has a bandage over his wound per his dr and wound clinic. It gets changed by the wound clinic as well as my sister and I every 3 days. The dr. Said it needs to stay on to help it heal. He forgets it needs to stay on and keeps trying to take it off; gets mad at us for not taking it off when he asks. He feels he…
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Finding My Way
Hello! I recently moved my 79 y/o brother in with me from a different state after the death of his wife last November. He is wheelchair bound with multiple sclerosis and has just been diagnosed with mid stage Alzheimer's. He's had a difficult time adjusting to the new changes and has no desire to meet people in this area.…
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Crying often, delusional
Hi, my 85 yo dad was diagnosed 2.5 years ago. Overnight, it seemed, his behaviors worsened. He cries a lot, says he wants to go home and asks where all the other people are. It’s heartbreaking to see this. I am his primary CG. My brother is flying in soon to take over for a few days. My world has shrunk so much. I want to…
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primary support person, not direct care-giver
Hi, I'm new to the group and looking for support. I don't know this is the right place for me. My mother is in assisted living with mild-to-moderate dementia. She lives 1/2 mile down the road from me. I’m her primary care partner and decision-maker, but I’m not providing hands-on care. I'm mentally and emotionally…
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forgetting how to use electronics in staging
I feel really dumb asking this, but this is my first rodeo with ALZ… A couple of weeks ago DH was standing in front of the microwave punching a lot of buttons and when I asked him if he needed help, he said that he forgot how to use it. Since then, no problem. Yesterday, he forgot that his IPad has a volume button. He has…
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Mom doesnt listen
My mom is early onset Alzheimers and is experiencing some cognitive decline but not to the extent that I can contact the agency on aging for a caregiver. She can still bathe herself, etc. However, she does not listen to or obey what I tell her no matter what the reasoning. Right now, I am the only one available to take…
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How fast does Zoloft work?
My mom is 83yo, in mild to moderate Alzheimers. I don't know which stage exactly, just that she has plaque on several parts of her brain. The neurologist says her stage is dependent on her behavior and abilities. She's been taking donepezil for about 2 months now. Took 6 weeks to get her to 10mg. She has been getting…
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Leqembi infusion/ personality Change
My dad had to stop the Leqembi infusions because of brain swelling and bleeding about a month ago. I have noticed his personality changed towards me negatively and not at my mom. His next doctor's appointment is in June. I will contact his doctors then. Is this a normal occurrence from leqembi or this the progression of…
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Violent behavior
My wife, officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last July, is in outstanding physical condition for an 86-year-old. This is a doubled-edged sword, because she exhibits periods of violent behavior and because she’s a strong person, she’s difficult to contain. She’s can be downright dangerous. I am her sole caretaker and I…
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Therapeutic Fibs / Compassionate Fibs
Moving on a bit from the previous topic - I think we resolved a couple things that my mom was upset with basically because my Dad realized he was arguing too much with my mom so she was reacting to that mostly. Now we need to learn how to use Therapeutic Fibs / Compassionate Lying and make them work for my mom. I also…
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Physical Violence
And today I found out my mom is actually getting physically violent with my father when he presses her on something. I'm back at my parents for the week. I thought it was just screaming when he suggests getting help in but actual hitting as well? The worst part of all of this is that most of the time she is acting fine and…
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New member. Caring for DH
My DH is somewhere between early and middle stage. He was diagnosed in 2022, at age 71, 13 months after my mother died of Alzheimer’s (she stopped taking nourishment) at the age of 93. That was a nightmare because it was Covid with my mom and no paid caregivers were available when she started needing 24 h caregiving so it…
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A Brain Tumor & Dementia!
My first post & it will be a lengthy back story. Sorry but I am about to stroke out. My wonderful step father of 52 years passed in March of 2023 & then my Dad passed November 2023. In Jan. 2023 found out my Mother had a very large meningioma brain tumor. Only found because she would have what I call absence seizures. She…
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Caring for my mom from afar
It was suggested that I post over here as the "Caring Long Distance" forum doesn't get as many views. I edited this from the original post with some more detail ... My mom has Alzheimer's which appears to be at stage 4. She lives with my Dad out of state and I'm about an hour away while my brother is closer to 2 hours. My…
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When friendship is impacted
I suspect a dear friend of mine has early onset. This person's mother had Alzheimer's and passed away as a result. My friend is in their mid-60s and is dealing with the recent death of a spouse so for the past two or so years I've attributed recent behavior changes (verbal outbursts, mostly) to grief and having to navigate…
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Struggles on the farm
This is my first post. I have read & benefited a great deal from reading about your experiences. I've finally gotten up enough nerve to share... My DH was diagnosed with EOAD officially 2 years ago, but I realized it started much earlier. He is still social & most who aren't aware can't see it. There are times when he will…
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Fear and refusal of standing/transfers?
Prefacing with my mom seems to be in the later stages. She recently does not want to get up or stand up. In the morning, she will not want to sit up in bed. Once we get her in a sitting position, she is refusing to stand up. She would rather just sit there. When we get her up with a gait belt, she gets very angry and…
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Any advice on severe emotional hysteria?
My mom was diagnosed with early onset Posterior Cortical Atrophy (a form of Alzheimer's) around 2 years ago. She is only 59. She has been going through a pretty rapid decline and we ended up moving her into assisted living last year. Obviously this has been tough on her and it's been an emotional roller coaster, but she…
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Psych Exam for exit behavior
Our LO, likely with FTD, has been at MC for close to 3 weeks but after an initial period of apparently positive acclimation they report he has started to attempt exiting the facility more often, wanting his car, resisting redirection. They will have a psych consult via state mental health services. My questions are what…
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Everything is perfectly normal...maybe not
Just feel the need to "talk". DH in ES to MS Alz. He has seemed perfectly normal now for about two weeks. You'd have to live with him and pay attention to know anything was off. Well, there is the thing about needing to explain to him who is who and what that all means when we are watching TV and the thing about misnaming…
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MOM IS WAKING FAMILY MEMBERS TO FIND CAT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT … HELP !!
My mom lives in the same house as me and my family and has for the last 10 years. We have a family cat that over these years has decided, especially in the last six months to a year only have … meaning she is completely fixated and obsessed with all things cat related. All day she asks where the cat is if he’s not with…
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New To The Group
Hello All - I am taking care of my 80 year old mother who was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year. She has lived with my wife and I since 2024. She has had noticeable behaviors since 2022 when our dad passed away. Mom has progressed to the point where it is not safe to leave her home alone for extended periods…
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Mom Won’t Stop Staring Out the Door
This is kind of a funny one, but I don’t know what to do about it. My mom has Alzheimer’s disease (moderate stage), and she loves looking outside through our windows and door. The problem is is that we have a shared driveway, so there’s usually people walking past our door. To be honest I personally would feel kinda…
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Mom Passed Away & Dad’s Struggling - Advice Needed Badly
Hello! I’m in bad need of some advice. My Mom passed away on January 4th and my Dad, who is in the middle stage of Alzheimer’s, is really struggling. They were married for 66 years and had been living in assisted living for the past couple of years. Neither of them could drive or leave the facility with our help. They were…
Commonly Used Abbreviations
DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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