Alzheimer's Struck Close to Home
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
United States
June 24, 2012 11:07am CST
My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year just before the holidays. I had noticed little things that were odd with her behavior. Her short-term memory was one of them. She exhibited paranoid behavior, anti-social behavior, her eating habits were not good, she didn't take her medicines on time, and her ability to perform her daily living skills had changed dramatically.
She was put on Aricept, a medicine which is supposed to slow down the progression of the disease. After being in a rehab facility for nearly 3 months our family and her primary care physician and the rehab staff decided it would be best for her to live in an assisted living facility.
Although she is not completely happy at this place, she realizes that life is easier for her. She gets the care she needs. We do feel guilty for not being able to take her into our homes and care for her. That is normal for family who are going through this. But, we realize she is in the best place.
We hope and pray for a cure. They say that new treatments are in the works. Hopefully one will be available before the disease progresses too far for our mother.
I urge you to support Alzheimer's research. Check out alz.org they have a wealth of information. Early detection is important.
Many blessings and big huggers to you all.
4 people like this
10 responses
@marguicha (215346)
• Chile
25 Jun 12
I`m so sorry for your mother and for what you are going through. Sometimes it is not easy to accept that we must take our loved ones to where they will have better attention. It is nothing to feel guilty about: it`s part of loving. Take care.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
We can't help but feel guilty. I guess it is an emotion that will haunt us even though we know she is in the best place she can be.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
24 Jun 12
I'm very sorry for your mom's troubles. that is such a sad disease. My grandmother & my aunt were never diagnosed w/it but both had big troubles w/their minds. neither one of them recognized any of us for a very long time, very very sad. i do hope they can come up w/a cure to help people. GOOD LUCK w/your mom.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
Often times people are never diagnosed with the disease. Some think it is just old age. There is a difference.
@Eskimo (2315)
•
13 Jul 12
Alzheimer's is a terrible disease for someone to get. You shouldn't feel guilty about not being able to care for your mother. She needs to be looked after 24/7, and that is impossible for any one person (or even a family) to do. ( My wife works in a home for people with Alzheimer's and it can take a lot out of people who are trained in caring.)
There are a number of treatments undergoing trials, however these can take a long time before they go on general release, I've even heard of one which is believed to reverse the condition, but again that will be some time before being ready (just hope there are not too many side effects).
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
17 Jul 12
I hoped to get my mother into one of these trials. My brother is worried about them. But, it seems to be our only hope.
1 person likes this
@Eskimo (2315)
•
17 Jul 12
Although these trials could cause worry, you have to weigh up the chances of it helping her with the results of not taking part in the trial. Most Alzheimer's medicine only slows the onset of the disease, and cannot reverse the condition. Some of the new one's being trialled have the potential to possibly reverse it, (not sure by how much though).
With enough research there may even be a cure for it, but that could still be many years away.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
24 Jun 12
This disease and a few others are suddenly very prevalent in our society. I sometimes wonder why....like so many dying of pancrease cancer...I don't understand. Until a few years ago I had never heard of Alzheimers.....now I know so very many that have it! Hopefully they will find something to help stop this disease....
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
As with every disease we can only hope for a cure.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
24 Jun 12
I am sorry to hear that your Mother has this disease, and I do understand just how hard it can be to make the decision to have her live somewhere else other than with her family. You have to remember that you can't always do everything for your Mother, and it doesn't mean that you love her any less just because you can't cope with her living with you. She will be happier and safer in the place you've sent her in the long term, because this is somewhere where she will be able to get the care that she needs from professionals who know what they're doing.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
I do realize that we made the right decision with moving her to assisted living. She will adjust and has come a long way since moving there. She gets excellent care.
@squallming (1775)
• Malaysia
19 Jul 12
I think the society has to be educated about alzheimer. Information such as the causes of alzheimer and the possible cure is important so that people would be doing something to prevent themselves to get the disease. One thing that everyone can do at the moment is to donate some money for the research of a cure for the disease. If everybody donate just a dollar, then it would already be sufficient for a good research.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
22 Jul 12
Our government needs to provide funds for more research as well.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
19 Jul 12
My mother before she passed on had dementia and it actually started quite a long time before she passed, and it would have been nice if there would have been something there to help her. The problem becomes with issues such as this or Alzheimers, is keeping the patient or often time family members Happy. My sister who lived in the same town usually ignored my mother in the end and I think this is what really killed her. So being able to find ways to keep your Mom Happy and able to recognize you and the surroundings around her will always be a Big help for sure.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
22 Jul 12
There are times when the patient actually doesn't recognize family members. My husbands grandmother is in the late stages of the disease. She sits in her chair and doesn't acknowledge my husband or other members of the family. However she will talk to me and she hasn't a clue who I am.
For some it is unbearable to see a loved one go through this and so not to endure that pain they keep their distance.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
24 Jun 12
It is very hard to deal with when it hits your family. I have a friend that her husband has it and she cares for him. It is so stressful for her. Huggers back at you.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
It was stressful for my sister and I. When we go other family members involved they too felt the stress. Now that she is in assisted living we are no longer worrying about her every day.
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Jun 12
How sad. Hope the Aricept helps keep her "her".
Best wishes.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
26 Jun 12
Thank you. We hope for the best with this medicine. Also we are hoping there are trials she can participate in as well.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
22 Jul 12
We see her frequently. Some more than others. But every family event she is there. Sometimes she is okay and others not. We accept it and deal with it.
