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Old 02-01-2011, 12:17 PM
 
Location: moving to Tafton
70 posts, read 122,785 times
Reputation: 31

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Jackinyc, you sound like you have been dealing with this for a long time. This is the first time I have taken care of someone with dementia. I'm not sure what stage she is in. She can listen to you for a short time and seem ok then, boom she's in her world. She has started to urinate at night since I've been here and her daughter seems annoyed at me about that. She said, well she didn't do that when I was there. I feel bad and all but, hey if she doesn't wake up in the middle of the night to pee then she pees herself. I think that's part of the progression isn't it? She was up until 4 in the morning thinking chickens were out in the street. It was awful, she would not calm down. She take seroquil at night. I think it fell on the floor because, I just found a pill. That may be what happened. Dear Lord. I have learned to duck when I shower her because she gets brutal with that. On the other hand she will say I love you. Man, it's heart breaking. She is home today because of the ice out there. She goes to daycare a couple hours mon. thru thurs. normaly which helps a bit with the stress. Ok, she just woke up. I best get to watching her or she may be out the door. Bye for now. Thanks people..
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Old 02-02-2011, 11:59 AM
 
Location: NJ
23,821 posts, read 33,339,182 times
Reputation: 30677
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackinyc View Post
Sounds EXACTLY of the beginning stages -
A fall can also progress it be prepared-

My mother was in this kind of stage for years (around 6 yrs) before she went into full last stage severe dementia- Most people I have come in contact with is much less though (a year, maybe two)
this is a horrible disease. good luck
Thanks; I know there is something off. When he had the fall he was injured pretty bad- punctured lung; few other things. He was sedated pretty bad; which seemed to make this worst. He's always been sharp as a tack but now while he's still sharp about some things; other things are worst. He also sleeps very little; if he got 4 hours a night; I'd be surprised. He nods off a lot during the day.

I was hoping it was the medications he was given but it's been 6 months.
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Old 02-02-2011, 12:43 PM
 
Location: God's Country
23,000 posts, read 34,301,698 times
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My mother is 92 and has it. Last week she fell and hurt herself pretty bad, thank the Good Lord no broken bones. Up until then she was living alone, now my sister in law stays with her at night, I don't live there. It is so sad to see her slowly slipping away.
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Old 02-03-2011, 07:18 AM
 
527 posts, read 1,017,488 times
Reputation: 548
This disease is a horrible disease that does not get the recoginition that should be out there- they show show commercials about grandpa forgettting johnny boys name or misplacing the keys they dont let you know how cruel this disease is- Tank, when you found the pill on the floor she was probably storing it in her mouth till you looked away and spit it out- put the pill in either applesauce, pudding or icecream, have the pill on the spoon and you spoon feed her that one, make sure other spoonfulls follow ensuring the pill does go down, that is what works for me- All of the drugs frankly suck and make the disease worst (imo) - The daughter will be second guessing and try to be patient with her, In the beginning I did the same thing saying to the people "Mom never did that why is she now? what are you doing" We are seeing our mother drastically decline and with this disease no one is really prepared and there is so much lack of info out there- just the basic stuff- As time goes and the disease progresses you feel like you have a newborn child and you are a first time mother- Please remember to keep humor around- try to have your patient/loved one around smiles and laughter as much as possible- cant stress how humor is so important for the both of you-

When agitation and violence occur keep reminding them they are safe and keep telling them "dont be scared" its ok, I will help you. This helps me with my mom.

Good luck to you all. Go to the sight www.alzheimersplaybook.com
this is coach broyles playbook for alzheimers and in all my years this is the only reading material that really helped me, I strongly recommend that anyone dealing with anybody with alzheimers or dementia read this playbook
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE THING FOR FREE
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Old 02-03-2011, 08:21 PM
 
Location: moving to Tafton
70 posts, read 122,785 times
Reputation: 31
Thank you so much for your input. I had a day from hell yesterday. I think it's because, the daycare was closed two days in a row. I think she had cabin fever. I know I did. She kept yelling out the door for me and I kept saying I'mright here, then she would yell out she's right here. Oh my.. She was just bouncing off the walls. She was cursing at me and punching and just awful. I was very stressed out by the end of the day. I agree with the humor. It's so hard sometimes though.

I am going to go look up that web sight that you suggested. Thankyou kindly.
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Old 02-04-2011, 02:11 PM
 
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
5,404 posts, read 15,949,955 times
Reputation: 8093
My stepdad has been suffering with this for about 5 years....he was just admitted to the hospital with some sort of pulmonary problem....not pneumonia, but very prolific mucus production. He's 95. The doctor says this is something that will continue....I think his body is failing. It's very sad...he was always so healthy and mentally acute.
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Old 02-04-2011, 09:46 PM
 
Location: San Diego CA
1,029 posts, read 2,474,048 times
Reputation: 608
I was appointed DPOA for my Mom who was forced to retire from her full time job for memory problems in 2008.

Here is what I did to help her through the progression:
Stage 3:

1. Slowly oversaw her finances online without her knowing
2A Researched the disease and found support online.
2B. Took her to the Neurologist to get her tested for ALZ and her license was in question (driving) Meds introduced (Aricept)
2C.Took away her car keys (very tough)
3. Helped her retire, file for Medicare and SSI. Helped her get her 2 pensions established, with all the money going to her and not to me or my sibling after her passing.
4. Hired an Elder Law Attorney to produce a living trust for her assets
5. I found her a "friend" to take her shopping for cosmetics, out to lunch etc... while she still lived alone. (Paid Companion) they rode on mass transit my Mom had a lifetime pass and rode for free (retirement benefit)

Stage4:
1.I safeguarded her finances and watched them closer, online.
2. I helped her shop on my days off work.
3. Made plans for her to move into our home
4. Began cleaning out her home and getting her ready to move, fixed up a bedroom and bathroom in our home.

Stage 5:
1. She lived with us for 1 year and progressed
2. I took her to a Psychiatrist for med monitoring and adjustments. She began Seroquel and Celexa.

I had the above companion help and our housekeeper and her sister and we worked full time but swing shifts...

Stage 6:
1. I found a Residential Care Home for $3200/month and signed a monthly contract.
2. I moved her there.
3. I moved her to a smaller, less expensive care home closer to my house within 6 weeks. ($1500/mo)
She has lived there for almost 1 year.

She has also had the following conditions (medical) in the past 2 years:

Fractured wrist from falling
Celliutis of the foot
UTI
Broken Hip
UTI with blood infection
C Diff

She is in an SNF now and will be d/ced back to her care home in 12 more days.

My Mom is 68 this year.
It can be very exausting! Please find support! My housekeeper was awesome as she cared for her dying father and it was affordable too!
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Old 02-05-2011, 08:25 PM
 
Location: Southern Illinois
10,364 posts, read 20,740,784 times
Reputation: 15643
[quote=Roselvr;17692468]Thanks; I know there is something off. When he had the fall he was injured pretty bad- punctured lung; few other things. He was sedated pretty bad; which seemed to make this worst. He's always been sharp as a tack but now while he's still sharp about some things; other things are worst. He also sleeps very little; if he got 4 hours a night; I'd be surprised. He nods off a lot during the day.quote]
Roselvr: it's possible that you may not be dealing with dementia here. I knew a lady who rapidly progressed into dementia but it turned out to be water on the brain. The doc said it could have been from a fall she had earlier and they put in a shunt to drain the fluid.

I'm going to be dealing with all of these issues soon and I'm just looking at the future with dread b/c my mother has never liked me and can't stand to have me around her and is the same with my sis. I don't know how we're going to care for her when she's like this. She's better with my bro but he's a pilot so is out of town a lot. My mother is wanting to live at least 3 hours away from everyone who can care for her as she has no understanding of how bad she is getting and it's going to be a huge trauma to get her to move to her other house. The main symptoms we've been seeing are hoarding, paranoia, and losing her purse every 10 minutes. Also, the agitation is increasing. She's not ready for a nursing home but will not live with any of us and we haven't taken away the car keys yet, but that is surely coming soon.
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Old 02-06-2011, 09:19 AM
 
Location: NJ
23,821 posts, read 33,339,182 times
Reputation: 30677
The little I do know; he had a head scan that was good but showed white matter or something like that. I'm not family; so going on 2nd hand information. I can't ask him because he doesn't remember anything about being in the trauma center & currently does not have any power of attorney set up.

I'm trying to figure out a way to get him to order his records from the fall.
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Old 02-06-2011, 08:18 PM
 
Location: San Diego CA
1,029 posts, read 2,474,048 times
Reputation: 608
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roselvr View Post
The little I do know; he had a head scan that was good but showed white matter or something like that. I'm not family; so going on 2nd hand information. I can't ask him because he doesn't remember anything about being in the trauma center & currently does not have any power of attorney set up.

I'm trying to figure out a way to get him to order his records from the fall.
Bingo. If he cannot remember he has dementia of some type, the white matter is atrphy of the brain, or shrinkage. There is a test you could give him or have someone else give him called an MMSE. It has 30 questions and the lower the score the higher stage of dementia.

My Mom began in 2008 with a score of 26/30.

It went down every year and now her score is 2/30. She does not know season, time, month, POTUS, etc.
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