-
Delusions, hallucinations or dreams?
MIL has had some relatively minor episodes of hallucination type incidents. Some were auditory (Do you hear the vacuum cleaner?). Some were visual (There were butterflies all over the wall.) And some felt more like confusion. (Yelling “hello, hello” because she thought someone was knocking at the door). But last night was…
-
the long night
It's about 4:30AM here. My mom called me around 11 and I knew I needed to come over to keep her company and help. I've read the hospice book and this forum and my books and all that for months now, but seeing this in real life is obviously different. He might be in the actively dying stage now? Wasn't really expecting that…
-
Wife refuses medical help
After 3-4 years of increasing memory loss, Finlay was able to get DW to her PCP (prescribed sertraline for anxiety) and neurophysiological testing. Diagnosed with presumptive AD but she is in denial and refuses further follow up. Related: about 12 months ago she began to not recognize me. Not sure what to do
-
pain management and further progression
Hi friends, Things are progressing over here (as they always are). We have a low dose of morphine on board now. My dad's legs are extremely stiff and causing him pretty consistent pain, it appears. Brought this up to his hospice nurse when he visited last week and he said we should start morphine now, because once the pain…
-
possibly transitioning to next stage?
Hi friends, It feels late at night even though it's 7:30PM here. Wanted to check-in about the kookiness we've had going on today. Some catch-up from the last couple of weeks: my dad might be starting to struggle with eating/using his hands. More confusion about how to do things (take pills, drink from straw). As he's…
-
Mobility concern
Hello everyone. My mother is 75 years old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia officially in 2020. Lately, my mom has been needing more help with walking around the house. Last week, she fell in the bathroom; she was looking in the mirror and just fell backwards. I’ve also noticed that she leans to her…
-
updates and checking in
Hi everyone, wanted to say hi and post a few updates since today is a wonky one over here. My mom has officially started her new job (still working from home) and I'm going into the law school twice a week for work. We've hired Brightstar so we have a sitter coming in the days I'm not here during work hours so my mom can…
-
Mother gave my brother and sister-in-law POA and all legal powers but they don’t want to do anything
Hello all- I am new to this community. My mother is in the process of her diagnosis and it has been hell. She has been diagnosed with “Mild Cognitive Impairment” but the MRI shows severe damages from silent strokes. She failed her driver license exam because of 4 critical driving errors (1 CDE disqualifies you). She has…
-
Online counseling for caregiver support and those dealing with a hoarder?
Hi all, new to the forum and appreciate that its here. Does anyone know of an online counselor for caregiver of family support - especially those dealing with lifelong hoarders? I prefer online/virtual sessions and timezone is not a concern. My Mom (72) has Alzheimers and I am her POA, Guardian and Trustee. She is highly…
-
How do I answer the question, "Why can't I remember?"
I have been a caregiver to a lovely woman in MS of Alzheimer's since April 2023. One thing she's been doing more of here lately is asking me why she can't remember things. For example, just today, she was talking about her father and how she wasn't sure whether or not he was still alive. When I confirmed her suspicions of…
-
I'm new here and I want out...: (
DH diagnosed one month ago and our lives are out of control. I am the caregiver, now only driver, home caretaker, as well as the target of his anger, rage, distrust, you name it. Not sure what to do, where to start. I dont even know this person really...and I now realize thats been going on for years. Here I thought we…
-
Nanny Cam vs. Security Cam
Hi all, so the topic of installing cameras has come up many times as a means to keep an eye on my folks and the certified aides. Dad vocalized not wanting them on grounds of his privacy being invaded which I understand. However, it’s just getting more & more concerning with aides being lazy, falling asleep, and mom growing…
-
Planning a Family Forum
Hi, everyone. I am in charge of planning a support group for resident's families, but I have been working in memory care for only about 5 months now. Yes, I have learned a lot about dementia and Alzheimer's and have a range of topics I would like to talk about at this family forum, but I would love to hear what other…
-
Sudden worsening of symptoms
Hi all, I am new here. My dad was diagnosed with dementia in March of 2023. I still live at home with him and my mom. He had been living pretty normally since his diagnosis with a mild decline as to be expected. At his last doctor appointment on Monday 1/29/24 his doctor started him on Wellbutrin to aide in his depression…
-
Getting my LO into bed
My LO is in late stage dementia. She can no longer stand without a walker and assistance. Getting her into bed requires lifting her off her commode chair and, while holding her up, pulling on her pull-up. I then lift her onto the bed. She often resists or slumps in my arms. There must be a better way. The pull-up is a real…
-
Hello
Good afternoon. After reading my Alzheimer’s devotional this morning, I was led to connect with other caregivers. My mother has Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. My sister and I care for her in her home along with two paid caregivers. It’s hard. Mom was officially diagnosed in 2020, and she is steadily regressing. I feel…
-
New to this site and Alz/Dementia info
My husband was just diagnosed with Mild Late Onset Alzheimer's w/Dementia with Mood Disturbance (depression/anxiety). I've been a mess, exhausted, frustrated, angry, then sad, isolate, alone... I'm in Los Angeles, CA and just hoping to reach out to anyone who could talk with me about all of this. Thank you!
-
Dealing with nonstop silliness
My DH has moderate to severe dementia. A few days ago he started speaking fluently in gibberish and he has kept at it for several days. He uses very little normal language and spends his waking hours with nonsense words and rhyme. It was kind of humorous at first and now it has become somewhere between annoying and…
-
Newly diagnosed DH
I'm not sure what resources are available to me. I know that there is so much that I need to do, but don't know where to begin.
-
Stages
I saw a question in one thread about the dementia stages. I just added a thread in the new caregivers group to capture a couple of staging tools I've found useful.
-
Nighttime bedwetting
Hi. I am new to this site. My.mom has moderate alzheimers at this point. She has always been very Independent and was always her wish to be as Independent as possible. We have help during thr day but she is alone at night, which was fine til now as she follows her regular routines and we have a camera in her room to…
-
Dreading today
Hi All- New to this forum. Thanks everyone for being open and offered support. Makes you realize there are so many of us in the same boat. Caring for my homebound/immobile Mother for the past two years. Diagnosis of Dementia/AlzD/Lewy........even the experts can't figure this thing out. Mom took a turn Saturday morning and…
-
Chemical sedation?
My dad (77) has Alzheimer's and is now in a VA-supported nursing home after a number of scary hospitalizations left us with no real alternatives. Recently I was visiting and found him sound asleep. I waited for over 30 minutes, making some noise here and there but he didn't wake. Eventually I went out to talk to one of the…
-
Father has AD and I am looking for support
Hello all. Noob here, but I have been taking care of my dad for 5 days per week for the past 10 weeks and am getting some burnout(I am running two households in winter and it's suddenly become nearly overwhelming) I was doing quite well until this past weekend when everything hit me. He's at home as yet, and doesn't need a…
-
Administering my moms meds by a non-medical caregiver
My mom has been dealing with Alzheimer’s/Dementia for the last 6 years. She is now end stage and has 24/7 care. I have her medication made up in little pouches and the caregiver were crushing and mixing with apple sauce. I just learned that the agency does not allow the caregivers to crush or mix with food. I do t know…
-
New… Dealing with Mom’s Hallucinations
My mom is in her 60s and her pcp says she is having brain slips and in stages of dementia. I am trying to get her seen by a neurologist and someone recently recommended a geriatric psychiatrist as an alternative for an assessment. It has been 3 months since the diagnosis and she was given an antidepressant. She is now…
-
New
Hi All- Just found this site and wanting to learn. Wife was practicing Endocrinologist diagnosed in april 2023. Lost all income and moved to another state to be closer to family. She is only 57. We were not ready for this-- Financially or emotionally. Finally able to find a house so settling in, but just overwhelmed with…
-
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Many of us could write a book! I have been a caregiver for my brother for the past year when he 'crashed' with Dementia. He's been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia. He was repeating himself for years but 1500 miles between us made me quite in denial I guess of how he was progressing. In september '22 I flew to him…