My mother has vascular dementia after having a minor stroke and each day it seems like more and more is going away. Like others said, this is very hard to see your loved one become something that they aren't and there are a lot of emotions coming from this. I don't want to see my mother like this anymore and she doesn't deserve this confusion and suffering. No one's parent does.
I had one of those "crash" days yesterday. Trying to hang in there for my mom. Me, my wife and a friend are taking care of her. Never did anything like this. We are trying. It's tough.
My mam is in a care home she needed 24/7 care after a huge stroke. Now dementia is getting bad she is finding it difficult to hold a conversation. I am close to my mum it’s breaking my heart to see her fade as the mam I knew now she is just a shell of herself. She only replies in one word she is confused hears noises in her head. Thankfully it’s a good care home l but it’s difficult to watch your loved one turn into someone you don’t know. Dementia is cruel but I will be there loving mam until the very last day. Thanks for sharing you experiences it helps.
My grammy died five years ago from Alzheimer's, and we had to put her into a nursing home. She had a stoke prior to being diagnosed, but you could see the slow progression of her daily functioning going downhill. She needed 24/7 hour care and we're not doctors or have the money for that kind of stuff. She only lived for five months after being in the nursing home, and it was honestly a blessing because she was in such bad shape, physically and mentally, that it really was a mercy.
When she said her grandmother heard a "B" and it was really a "D", I thought, "She needs to take her to get a hearing test." Hearing loss goes along with dementia or Alzheimers. My Dad had dementia and my advice would be, Be patient. Fight only the big battles. For instance, let her call the dog whatever name she wants! The dog won't pay attention if it's called the wrong name. To avoid agitation, tell a kind fib. If the patient wants to see her sister (who is dead), say she is on vacation or visiting a friend right now, rather than repeatedly telling her her sister died years ago. Then, redirect her thoughts - "Oh, it's getting late, we need to go in and eat dinner." "Let's look at the pictures in the photo album." Medication can help with memory and sleeping. Getting the patient to shower frequently is very difficult - you may have to say the health department requires them to take a shower daily. The worst problem with dementia is not diapers, it is when the patient eliminates in the wrong places or in copious amounts. I applaud anyone who takes their loved one with dementia into their home, as we did. It is hard on the caretakers and hard on the marriage, but you'll never have any regrets later.
I am dealing with my father who has dementia. Sundown syndrome starting to go to the bathroom in the wrong places. Refuses a shower. Plus my Mom is Sick too I am tired..
I’m taking 3 months leave of absence from work, to stay at home with my father, who is confusing his dreams from reality, and he also rarely takes a shower, and wears the same clothes for days.
My mom is 85/ was diagnosed with Dementia 3 years ago. It’s very hard on me ,as she is living with me. My brother and sister-in-law live upstairs. They help out tremendously, but I need soul searching or someone to talk with on issues with this disease. Any thoughts
Literally no helpful advice given like we know we have to take care of ourselves so we can be healthy enough to care for others but how exactly can you manage all that and HOW do you deal with the difficult behavior??? This is like telling someone with depression to just be happy lmao