Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

Have any of you had experiences with any of these conditions in your loved ones?

My Father In Law, who is 84, is having these problems now and they are getting worse. His health has deteriorated over the last year with major heart problems and stage three stomach cancer. He went through chemo and radiation and tolerated it very well. But just before his six week check up after his cancer treatment he began to show signs of memory loss and forgetfulness. We thought it might be medication related, but now we know it was the onset of these mental issues. The week end before Thanksgiving, my wife, her sister and brother, brought him down here to be in a facility closer to us. Some days are better then others. Some days, like today, he just doesn't know where he is and is very confused. When visiting with him today he talked as if he and I where on the North Road in Wisconsin hunting Ruffled Grouse, when in reality we were in a health facility in Louisiana. He was in a nursing home here until Friday when he thought he was being held hostage by the Orderlies and set off a fire extinguisher in another patients room so that the Sheriff would be called and he would be let go. He did something similar in Wisconsin but just set off the fire alarms. It's funny when you know him. But sad that he is loosing touch with reality. Please remember Clarence (my FIL), my wife and her family in prayer.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

I am experiencing the dementia/alzheimer's with a family member now (and for the last year).

It has been a living HELL.

I am praying for you. Please do likewise.

God Bless.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

Praying

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

I responded on your "HELP" thread. I will be praying with you.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

Thank you Sis A.

He is a sweet old man even when he is confused. He does not really want to hurt anyone, he just imagines at times he is being held captive....which he is sort of. He can not take care of himself and we can not take care of him by ourselves either. We never want to have him put in a home but he can not be trusted to think straight or make correct decisions and can not be left by himself.

This is hard on my wife who loves her Dad very much.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

Yes, had to deal with it twice. First with my Mom's second husband and later with my FIL. Both had to be placed in a home, and ironically they both had lung cancer that they seemed to have missed until the very end.

My FIL kept escaping the nursing home so we had to find a private care for him. It was better for him and we figured he would live at least another year but he was gone in 6 months. He took a very surprise turn for the worse seemingly over night.

I also read/heard somewhere that folks that are very low in vitaimin B is sometimes miss dyanoised (sp) as Alzheimers, when it is not.

I feel for you brother and can tell you it is very stressful to the care providers.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

Yes. My mother is 83 and has alzheimer's. She started in her mid 70's showing sings of it. About 8 years ago she gave up driving when she got confused when she was trying to get to one of my brother's houses. She could remember how to get home but not which road to turn into to get to his house. She was less than 2 miles from him when she turned around and drove home.
It has been hard. She lives with one of my sisters and has been very difficult at times. I have been on an emotional roller coaster. We had to decide if we were going to move back and help my sister or stay put and I would go home to help when needed. That has been the solution and has worked so far.
It was hardest the first time she did not know who I was. Having seen it work on others and how the disease does people I have been a little prepared.
I love her but I also know that the woman who inhabits my mothers body is only a glimmer of the person she used to be.

We will remember your wife and family in prayer.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

I will be praying for your family, it isn't an easy road ahead. It takes a lot of patience.

My mother was diagnosed 1996 with Alzheimers and is in an assisted living home, but does not have a clue who we are. She sometimes calls out for us, but doesn't really know us. I went to see her Friday. I came through the door and she was sitting, hollering in her adult highchair. She was upset because she couldn't get her sock and it had fallen to the floor. I knelt down in front of her to put on her sock and the smile she gave me melted my heart. Her smile just lights up her eyes. She was so happy that someone had taken the time to get that sock and was there to see her. LOL I hugged her and told her I loved her, I understood her so much more now that I am raising teen girls. She got so excited and told me. "Girls.. I have girls too" I just grinned back and told her I knew she did... I was one of them. She rambled off and on to me for about a half an hour... most didn't make sense but I was happy she was talking.

That was a very good day, and I will cherish it a long time... I left so happy but sad because it might be a long while that I see her that clear and talkative.. if ever.

Usually, I go into a pretty non responsive mom who will let you hug her, but goes back to her constant crawling or pacing... some days are just worse than others. We have times where she is close to death or so they think, then she bounces back and does much better... her mind however is pretty much gone.

The Sundowners you mentioned is very taxing time to be in... they can get very angry, confused and do some crazy, I mean crazy things...which you are finding out. My very reserved and proper mother would have been mortified if she knew some of the things she did and said over the last 10 years.

We refused to have our mom drugged up, they only use mild anxiety medicines to help calm her when needed, but we haven't allowed her to be put into a stupor as a lot of Alzheimer's patients are. She was very, very healthy physically, and has lived a long time with the disease... I think the average is about 10 years with it.

Good luck with the road ahead.

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

As a social service director for a sub-acute unit for close to 5 years, I have learned that when anyone has an Alzheimers or Dementia DX; when they go under anesthetic or go through any trauma it throws them into the advanced stages of the disease.

If you want particular information please feel free to PM me.

Blessings & Prayers,
Rhoni

Re: Sun-downers/Dementia/Alzheimer's
 

This thread breaks my heart.
My dad had sundowners.
My mom Alzheimers.
Both were hard roads though one only took place at night. My favorite incident though
had to be when he thought the cowboys on the tv were talking to him personally.
It was especially entertaining when he would respond to them.
I miss him dearly.

My mom however deteriorated mentally first then physically. Alzheimers is a rough
thing. I felt like crying reading Lisa's post. I know that road and how I wish I could
help you. It is such a hard thing to watch someone you love not know anything
familiar. Jesus bless you all.