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How do you keep in touch with friends and family?
My dad moved to memory care about a month ago. He moved states, about a 5 hour drive, to be in a facility closer to me. At first I had hoped the MC staff would be able to help my dad talk on the phone or zoom with friends/family, but I don’t really think that’s something they do. My dad doesn’t have his phone because he…
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Sadness for my MIL
It’s been an emotionally tough day. Nothing out of the ordinary but it’s been close to two years MIL has lived with us. And I was particularly tired of not having any time alone; cooking, cleaning, entertaining and listening to her talk, talk, talk. But as I was sitting here mentally listing the 101 things I have to do…
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Early Stages: assessment, support, education
Hello, I am in the early stages of needing to get my LO a neurological assessment and get educated as their child on the best ways to support them moving forward. It's hard to know if they are in early stages or if aging and isolation and depression are the culprits. (want to acknowledge that i know they will exacerbate…
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Diagnosis needed ASAP
My dad is showing signs of dementia. He forgets things so quickly. He’s very short-tempered. This has been going on for years. He’s in denial. His mom passed away in 2011. She suffered from Alzheimer’s. How do I go about getting him some help? Do I reach out to his doctor?
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Memory care transition and selling the house
Hi everyone. I’m new to this forum and I am finding it so so helpful. My dad was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in 2021 and it has gotten progressively worse. His new diagnosis is VD. He is 76 and in very good physical health. My mom passed in 2020 after an extended health struggle, and my brother moved in and…
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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…
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How Much to Tell
I am an 82 yo caregiver for my 84 yo DH who was diagnosed with dementia by a neurologist in 2023 and I estimate is now in stage 5. He was just diagnosed yesterday with pulmonary fibrosis, but seems already to have forgotten most if not all of the doctor's visit. The mean survival time for this is 2-3 years, and DH also has…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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Early Onset Symptoms... What was your story? How did you tell your loved one that you were worried?
Hello everyone! I'm new here. My aunt reached out to me to let me know she was starting to become concerned about my great-uncle (who is in his early 50's.) He's been having some memory lapses and increased anxiety/frustration. His father had early-onset dementia, and this has us especially worried. We're trying to work…
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Visiting my dear friend in Florence, AL35630 next week: How to adress the topic?
Hello, I am Kerstin from Germany. About 35 years ago I stayed with a family near Chicago for while to take care of their disabled son. I returned to Germany but we stayed in contact ever since, we are like family. The mother (age 76) has now been diagnosed with dementia, but is in denial. At present she lives at her…
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I am realizing that my friends,
while trying to support me, do not truly understand my situation of having a sibling with dementia/Alzheimer's living in a far-off state, commenting "things will get worse before they get better," or "hope things look up for you soon," when there is no "getting better" or "looking up." I think that perhaps my situation is…
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clashing with sibling this Christmas over COVID risks
My mom is in the moderate stages of AD, still living with my father but it is increasingly difficult with her behavior and level of confusion. They are 60+ years married, in their 80s, and my father is mom's primary caregiver (burdened by her care needs). I recently moved them to be closer to me (only daughter and youngest…
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How to hold a conversation with a relative who has dementia?
I have a relative who was first diagnosed with dementia a few years ago and over the last few years I have noticed it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a two way conversations with her. I feel awkward about asking too many questions as I don't want to make her feel uncomfortable and she is quick to hang up the…
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Repeating the same story
My brother is in an assisted living facility and I provide in-person care 2 or 3 times a week for about 3 hours each visit, and talk on the phone daily. He repeats the same stories every time we talk (nearly word for word). For example, he will say "did you know they found salt on Mercury (slight pause) who cares!!!" Other…
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How do I handle statements like “I want to die”
Hi I’m new to this support group. My mom is 77 and has Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer. She is in an assisted living facility and is struggling bad. 7 phone calls yesterday and the first four were “I can’t do this”, “I want to die” and “no one wants me”. I really struggle with what to say to her. Nothing I say seems to…
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2 Parents with Dementia - HELP
Hello, I’m new here. I’m 31 and over the last two weeks, both of my parents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Dementia. My dad is only 56 and has ben diagnosed with mixed dementia - doctors are still trying to figure out his “unique situation” as he has no previous health conditions. He hasn’t been has a cavity before.…
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Mom thinks we live in an identical home across town
Mom (MIL) was diagnosed with dementia, most likely Alzheimer's, last November. My husband and I moved in with her about 2 months ago. Dad passed away last June. A number of months ago Mom would tell us about Dad working on a house across town that was identical in every way, inside and out, to her house. She marveled at it…
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Replacing hearing aids
My mother is in skilled nursing facility with mid-stage dementia. She has hearing aids and has lost one of them. It is normal for her to have them come out during the day and need to be put back in. We had them on a cord attached to her shirt but she still managed to lose one. My quandary is- to I replace the missing aid?…
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Sister Refusing to Get Ready This Morning
This morning, my sister was having difficulty with the buttons on her pj top. She has gained some weight so the top buttons pop open. We need to buy her some different PJs without buttons. She & I are the only ones in the house so it rarely bothers her that she goes to the bathroom with some buttons undone. In the…
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Trouble helping my mother
My mom has been diagnosed with dementia for quite some time. She can't communicate with us properly, she can't do anything by herself yet we can't help her with everything since she isn't communicating back to us when we ask her. It's even the basic things like food, she can't give me or any of us an answer that we can…
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How can I make my questions easier to understand?
My grandfather has AD and has not been answering my questions properly as of late. One time we were out at a restaurant having some soup. I helped him take a quick sip of his soup and asked him whether it was too hot. He replied stating that it was delicious and that he wanted to have some more. Thinking that he meant that…
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Guilt of supporting from afar while other family members moved in
Hello, Grateful to find this community! Like me, I'm sorry we need to be here, but I'm relieved we can all lean on each other a bit. I live hours away from my Mom. We received results today from her neurologist about her brain health and he is of the opinion she has the early signs of Alzheimer's. We aren't surprised, but…
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Ways to have a meaningful visit
I posted about a year ago after my mother had cataract surgery. She seemed to develop dementia over night after the surgery. She was at home till December but kept going to the neighbors house and saying bizarre things. After monthly trips to the ER for this and that, and calling 911 several times they finally admitted her…
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Mom forgets that Dad has passed
We helped my mom move from her home of over 45 years into a retirement community last December. I'd say she's in Stage 5 of Alzheimer's, but still in independent living. She doesn't love it and hasn't embraced being around other people, mostly because she knows her memory is not good. She recently started forgetting…
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Grandma refuses to see psychiatrist
I'm primary caretaker to my Grammie, who has multi-infarct vascular dementia. She's still in early stages and very present, but has recently developed compulsive behaviors, heightened anxiety, and obsessive thinking. I'm not sure if she has anosognosia or is uncomfortable with acknowledging these issues, but she refuses to…
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Are white boards with reminders, names dates etc helpful
What is the best way to setup a need help setting up a whiteboard or something to write date, events, names, specific details to remind client and orient to present? Advice, tips and suggestions much appreciated!
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Communicating through art and color
My mom has dementia and as you know it's a struggle to manage emotions around it. Last year she moved into a nursing home, which was hard at first, but it's actually been the best thing for her and me. Since she's living there, I've found new ways to communicate with her as she can't have a conversation like she used to.…