Hi Jo,

In some of the reading I've been doing - patients do have a tendancy to fall or lose consciousness. Could that be going in with your MIL? It might be worth inquiring at the old NH or certainly telling the new NH to be watchful of.

I am sorry anyone - caregivers or caregivees - must go thru this. My heart goes out to everyone.

Al, you are very sweet. you would be like Mr. Jo said I would do if he turned his head, get a bus and bring them all home with me I hate so bad when I see one hurt, but so foes he

It is true at least MIL took spells od being unsteady when walking. At the 1st NH the nite charge person told us her room mate pushed her down. They never called one to see about her in the hospital.

Hubby asked for a
copy of the accident report. Well this drug on for several month. hubby finally told them He would not leave that day until he had it in his hand. Of course they didn't even fill out one. fractured skull?? They thought we were going to sue but all we wanted was something to be done to care of patiens in the way they deserved. HE reported it to DHEC. They fined them all kinds of money and I think the place was shut down. It looked so nice, but you gotta get down on your hands and kness and do the white glove test!!

When she broke her arm she was already at the 2nd one. Yes, I suppose she could have fallen, but she had gotten violent at times and no way to be sure how it happened. Tis so sad.

HI,
Though I would check this forum--I am the sole caregiver to my mom who has dementia.
Myself being disabled--life is a challange to be sure.
Hope to gleen much info here
Debbie

Hi
I dont have anybody with alzheimers in my family, but I am an activities person at a retirement village, I work mostly with the assisted living and the alzheimers residents..... I love my job, and have the utmost respect for those of you who are having to personally deal with this disease.
vicky

Debbie, it is good to see you posting again, but sorry about your mom. Taking care of MOM is a very hard thing to do, but you add your own health problems and you have more than a hand full.

I hope you can find some help here in this forum. I wish you well with your own health problems. I will be thinking of you and if I can help in any way please just post it or PM if you want. You take care and let us know how your mom is doing. blessings, Jo

I am interested in your post. Could you give us some idea's in helping our LO's ? It's hard to find anything that will get MIL's attention these days, but I still try. Now and again I see that sparkle, maybe my imagination, but maybe not?

Yesterday she kept saying something to me, I couldn't hear her see was talking so low and her words were so garbled. She leaned her head close to mine and she said the same thing again. She said she loved me.

I can't begin to say how that touched my heart. It was hard to keep the tears in check. You can seldom understand words she mumbles much lest put a sentence together.

I have been there when they had activities and it is a hard to keep some of them focused. I do admire anybody that will take on jobs like these. Perhaps you will share some things with us, help us understand how to interact with our LO's.

Welcome to you as well as all that have posted here. with much care, Jo

I understand your frustration. It is VERY difficult to find activities. I do ALOT of musical stuff with them. They love to sing and listen to songs that were popular when they were teens and young adults. We have one lady that is pretty nonresponsive to anything. She just has this blank stare and shuffles around.
She likes for us to do her nails, and give her hand massages. She also likes it when i bring my pet bunny up LOL. He'll sit in her lap and she'll hold him. She doens't pet him, but when you try to give him to another resident she gets upset that you took him from her. I found a book at the library called. "Alzheimers Activities that Stimulate the Mind". by Emilia C. Bazan-Salazar. There are alot of neat activities in this. I'm going to try and get my boss to buy this book if its available.
I'm going to a workshop on Nov the first called "Unlocking the Mysteries: Whats worth knowing in Alzheimers Disease" The speaker is Joanne Koenig Coste. She is the author of a book "Learning to Speak Alzheimers." I'm hoping to learn alot at this workshop.
I've only been doing this for a 16 months. Before this i was a special education teacher. One thing i've learned, is you take it one day at a time. and you rejoice in the little things. Maybe you saw them smile, or they reached out and touched your hand, or maybe its nothing more than that "light" that you know for just a moment they understood what you were saying or doing.
I have the utmost respect for those of you who are dealing with this. Its so hard. I can honestly say that working with the alzheimers residents has been a life changing experience.
Take care and i hope you guys have a great day!!!!
vicky

Let me know how the seminars go. I appreciate the info you have offered. I'll look for the book.
You know Vicky, sometimes the patients are so funny and you are so sure they are getting better, but next visit total change. I've been jotting down notes for years off and on, hoping one day to put some together. I have to depend on my memory and dang, it is getting as bad as the patients I see everytime I go see MIL.

They have moved Mary to another wing of the Alzheimer's- Dementia side of the NH. The side they moved her to is the side where all the patients are bed-ridden, never expected to be up and about ever again.

Mary can still walk, sometimes she needs someone with her though. I hate so much we had to place her!! Ken keeps reminding me of the reasons we did have to, but I just wish it were different.

I like the "bunny"and the patient's joy at just seeing a pet. Mary used to love animals. When we moved her here. I moved the dogs too. they were used to living in the house, but I had to draw the line there. I'm allergic to most annimals, especially cats! Not long after we moved her she lost all interest in the little dogs. Even to this day she does not want them to get near her. I found this very strange, but I've been told many times they change their habits with a lot of things things.It is all so so sad. thank you for your responce Vicky. Jo

Hi Debbie, have been thinking of you. How are things with your mom? You do have your hands full and I certainly admire you for taking this on. I was wondering if you had some sort of Respite House or something like that. Some are really nice, you get a week or 2 with nothing to do except what you want to do. you will know your mom is taken care of.

That may be an option to look into even if you don't feel this is the time. Some in our old group in the old BTChats took advantage of this. She could have someone to come to her house while she was gone. Then they had others where she could go and they would take care of him in another site. It always seem to help her so. Well, let us know how you as well as Mom is.

thinking of you, Jo

Hi
I am Karen. I am 29 married no kids and take care of my MIL who has alzhimers. She is getting into the last stage I guess not talking much. She has been with us 2 years. I have someone comein three times week to give her a shower since that really hurts my back.
My husband and I both being disabled it is hard to care for her and very isolating. today she woke up wanting to go home with no clue where she was.
I am like yall it is so hard to find her something to do other than stare into space.