How do you deal with the frustration of dementia?
March 20, 2011 by admin
Filed under Incontinence
My elderly mother and father live with me, my husband and our three teenage sons. My father has dementia. He is a difficult stage right now because he is lucid enough to be able to object to any kind of help we suggest to him. He was never a reasonable man so now when he is difficult as a result of the dementia it's really hard not to feel impatient with him. If he had always been an easy going person, then it would be easy to see the difference between the man and the illness, now it's just the same cantankerous person, only he doesn't remember anything past 5 minutes, is incontinent but in denial about it so he won't wear incontinence underwear, and gets really nasty with my mother over just about anything. She could have someone in the home to give them advice, but he won't accept that they need any. He refuses to have an operation on his prostate ( which is huge) and would help with the incontinence. I could go on.
Anyone with any tips to stay sane?
Handling Life In Bunches?
January 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under Scleroderma
Things are always happening to me in bunches. Right now my father has dementia, my mother has scleroderma, my youngest child struggles a little at school and I have to take him most days and he misses the bus alot and I have to pick him up. My daughter doesn't have a car so I have to drive her back and forth to work, My husband and son have jobs that require us to wake up around 3:45a.m., I have church obligations, widow neighbors to check on, and I am responsible for all household obligations, bill paying, ect.. since my husband works out of town. Because I'm classified as a homemaker, the rest of the world thinks I should be available for everything else. This doesn't include all the doctor, hospital, ortho, dentist, eye doctor appts. crammed in before school starts. Then I have family who wants to know why I don't bring the children to visit so they can have a relationship and I get criticized for just about everything. Help?!
Someone tell me am i defeated or do i have another way of looking at things!! HELP!!?
December 18, 2010 by admin
Filed under Scleroderma
In February, after spending 3 months prior trying to find my sister another home for our father, (she called every morning griping, complaining and just plain disrespectful about him) she called me very upset and gave me, 2 wks to find him another place to live, nursing home i dont care..just get him out. (he lived with her, her husband and son for 2yrs)..she has mental depression dr. told her bipolar but she refused to discuss it or take meds...she has been like this all her life. Because my father has no dementia, there is nothing really wrong with him, and because he lived in sadness and depression with her never left his room to try to avoid her and the family (one time he fell trying to look in his closet and she ranted and raved to all of us "why in the hell was he in his closet anyhow" i realized there was nothing i could do or say because we where happy that he was not in a nursing home ( he had been there b4, it was awful) none of my other sisters could take him and because i am single, 1 son and full of compassion for a man who treated me like shit all my life i took him...
it has been since february, i couldnt find a 3 bedroom for under 800 and all utilities so we bought a house, funny the problem is not dad...did i mention that my 8 yr old has adhd, ocd, anger issues and possible bipolar, did i mention that i have lupus, raynauds, sjorgens, scleroderma, hypothryroidism, acid reflux disease, nueropathy, depression caused by all of the above and i am only 39...so the above comes to pass...no problem
but here comes my 2 sisters, the others (theres 11 of us..9 who dont give a shit) one who is old school , self serving and literally told me he didnt raise me i have to obligation she failed to say that in her last TWO marriages with 2 kids and a grandchild she moved back to dads house it seemed her past was not an issue then...the second feels so guilty (she is daddy's little girl although i am the baby of the family, i am the youngest..and NO i am not jeasous..she and i are..uh where really close)..because the second also has depression issues, a child with a behavior problem and a young one following along she seems to think that she can come into my home criticize, get rude, nippy she puts too much on her plate then she takes is out on me...if i speak up she then will accuse me "another sister telling me off" or "u must not be taking ur meds" she has crossed bounderies with my son "he is my God child i can spoil him" I say no to something she in front of him will make a rude disrespectful comment or excuse his behavior... isay ask me b4 u invite him over she invites and then says "oh sorry i didnt ask u first"....someone help me dad is not the problem...she is they are, i do nothing right, if i speak up...well she must be on her period, she must not b taking her meds...they have actually caused so much stress tears anxiety that i am back seeing a counseler,...i want to sell the house, give dad to them and leave...but i know it would be toooo much for my son (he is absolutely first)....bye from defeated in ohio...by the way i only have said half of it...there is soooo much more...
Depression and Nutritional Deficiencies as the Causes of Reversible Dementia
March 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Alzheimers and Dementia, Medical News
Depression and Nutritional Deficiencies as the Causes of Reversible Dementia
Depression is not only a symptom of dementia, but it can cause other symptoms typical of dementia, as well. Consequently, depression is often misdiagnosed as dementia, particularly in the elderly. This misdiagnosis is tragic, because the majority of people with depression can be effectively treated. In addition to the depressed mood, loss of interest and social withdrawal we commonly think of as depression, both syndromes can produce sleep disorders, weight loss or weight gain, psychomotor retardation (an abnormal slowing down of activities and mental processes) and a diminished ability to think or concentrate. In many instances, depressed people, particularly older individuals, may appear confused and may suffer memory loss. Read more