Browse Questions About Alzheimer's - Page 1

Is it common to have hallucinations with Alzheimer's?

Question - When people with Alzheimer's disease experience frightening hallucinations, I "fix the problem". Whever it is you take charge and fix it. I have "killed" snakes, taken rabbits out of their beds and "fixed" whatever the problem is if my "real" answer did not help and they could not be redirecte...

2 Expert Answers, 63 Community Answers

Why do Alzheimer's patients remember certain things and forget others?

Question - Alzheimer's disease affects recent memories first. The retention of new information is most affected, while recollections of things that happened in the past are much more resistant. The loss of recent events is often one of the first, if not the first, symptom of the disease.

1 Expert Answer, 8 Community Answers

How can I calm down someone with Alzheimer's when they're crying?

Question - I think there are two issues here – the emotions behind the tears and an evaluation for depression. Constant crying is very often a sign of depression which affects people with Alzheimer’s at a higher than average rate. If the person had diabetes, we would treat that. With depression, we should ald also treat it...

1 Expert Answer, 19 Community Answers

My 88 year old father is uncharacteristically making accussions of my mother. What could be wrong?

Question - It sounds like your father has a very common fixed false belief (called a delusion) about your mother's infidelity. People with Alzheimer's disease often have these fixed false beliefs stuck in their minds, and no amount of rational explanations or arguments will convince them otherwise...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Can someone with Alzheimer's forget something then remember it?

Question - Yes, a person with Alzheimer's can remember things that had been seemingly forgotten for a time. Their ability to remember may have to do with being tired or frustrated or just being distracted. Asking about it at another time may produce better results--not so very different from you and I...

1 Expert Answer, 8 Community Answers

Where can I find financial assistance? I'm out of work and the sole caregiver for my wife who has Alzheimer's.

Question - It might be possible to get some regular payment to take care of your wife. With your unemployment and few assets, your wife might qualify for a state-run program where you live, which can provide some payment directly to your wife for her to be cared for at home. And this money can go to you if you are the one caring for her...

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

My dad has Alzheimer's and is shouting all the time. How can I get him to quiet down?

Question - My dad died in November of Vascular dementia. He did it all, yelling, screaming, cursing, hallucinations, delirium and more. Mostly, when something was being done to him that he didn't like ie diaper change etc. But sometimes- it was sundowning or no reason other than the disease itself. Some meds can cause hallucinations like geodon so be careful...

14 Community Answers

My Mother is having VERY real memory problems...I called the...

Question - I so sympathize with your frustration about what to do and hope one of these answers has already helped. I ran into a similar situation with my mom, including the refusal to go to an appointment she hadn't made. The appointment was resolved by the doctors office calling the house and reminding my mother...

25 Community Answers

Can chemotherapy make Alzheimer's worse?

Question - My 77 yo mom was diagnosed with cancer four months ago. It is a jaw cancer near the bone, and she is having treatment with Cetuximab (Erbitux) once a week and the tumor has shrunk already 50% after four sessions, and the pain is gone.

How do we tell mother that we think she has Alzheimer's?

Question - Telling your mother she has memory loss will evoke a denial. Like most people, denial for your mother is a common response to many issues, and she is being no different in defending her belief that there is nothing wrong with her. In part this is due to fear, feelings of loss of control or may simply be the disease manifesting in that type of behavior...

1 Expert Answer, 17 Community Answers

My dad's Alzheimer's is at the point where he doesn't know family members. How can I help him feel better about visits?

Question - All these people are crying because their dear alzheimer relative does not recognize them or she(he) does not recognize a family member. This is pure selfishness. Forget about that and just make happy your dear person every minute, because they are smart enough to appreciate you love.her (him). The rest who cares...

5 Community Answers

Is a memory care unit or nursing home better?

Question - I agree with Sunny Wonders.. read Validation Techniques for Dementia Care by Naomi Feil. My mother is now in what I think is the beginning of late-stage dementia/alzheimers. My family has found that Mom is less depressed, less accusatory, less verbally combative when we use this technique, rather than the "Reality Therapy" that is broadly used...

27 Community Answers

Can stress cause Alzheimer's?

Question - There is no evidence to suggest that psychological trauma or other psychological difficulties cause Alzheimer's Disease or any other dementia. On the other hand, psychological difficulties, most commonly depression or anxiety, can impair memory. These memory effects are fortunately reversible with proper treatment...

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

How can convince dad to go to a nursing home?

Question - The way I got my dad into the nursing home is I waited until he got hurt and took him to the ER by ambulance and explained to the doctor how my dad was behaving. It actually took the doctor talking to him to make him go into the home. He told dad that he wasnt able to live at home any longer alone...

10 Community Answers

Do Aricept and Namenda really help Alzheimer's symptoms?

Question - For what it's worth, my 90 year old mother-in-law was diagnosed in July with moderate A/D. Aricept gave her such vivid, horrible dreams that she would cry for hours upon wakening. Discontinued. Namenda made her so confused, it was pointless. Discontinued. Exelon caused her to lose 16 pounds in two months...

54 Community Answers

Are there better medications for Alzheimer's patients?

Question - Anti-anxiety medications would probably not help somebody who has paranoia and hallucinations. Treatment of these conditions requires use of antipsychotics to which individuals with Lewy bodies dementia are very sensitive. Therefore, it is important to use very low doses and medications with fewer side-effects, such as quetiapine (Seroquel)...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Can Mom forget how to walk?

Question - I'm trying to help families, who like ours, have tried to rule out everything. We've addressed vitamin D, urinary tract infections, water intake and had an MRI and review by her physician. Clinically, no one knows why her short-term memory has weakened, sleep is interrupted, lack of order and hallucinations...

3 Community Answers

What are the signs Alzheimer's is worsening?

Question - My father says sometimes that he's dizzy, it just comes on him, some times he is sick to his stomach, I thought he was having panic attacks...cold sweats etc. Are these the same symptoms?. He just got diagnosed with mild to mod. AD

14 Community Answers

How do I provide Alzheimer's care from a distance?

Question - My sister is 55 years old and in the mid stages of alzheimners....I live in North Carolina and she lives in Penn. I have worked out a plan withe her husband that every two months we meet half way and I take my sister to my home for about 2 weeks. She really looks forward to it and it helps her husband...

3 Community Answers

Is Alzheimer's hereditary or environmental?

Question - jolieblonde, your story is a very familiar one to me and i really wish researchers would study these issues, but research is directed by drug companies and they want the one-fits-all easy pill to prescribe. too bad.

4 Community Answers

Is repetition a sign of early Alzheimer's?

Question - I am a 43-year old woman who suffered from I guess what would be described as a stroke. It was mild though. At the time, I suffered from Ptosis (droopy eyelid), affecting one eye. The doctors also found I had a bleed in the brain stem, as well as evidence of some older bleeds...

5 Community Answers

Is this Alzheimer's or normal memory loss?

Question - My 84 year old mother has been diagnosed with 1) depression (2 doctors), 2) mild to moderate dementia (1 doctor) and 3) vascular dementia (1 doctor and 1 Nurse Practitioner ---- although the social worker who is hell bent on putting my mom in a nursing home now claims they said it's Alzheimer's)...

6 Community Answers

Are there family studies or clinical trials to determine if Alzheimer's is hereditary?

Question - I thought there was a test that could be given to see if you carried a particular gene that may make you more susceptible to Alzheimers but doesn't necessarily mean you will get it. My mother's side of the family seems to have a lot of family members that either have or have died with Alzheimers...

3 Community Answers

What doctor do I see to get Alzheimer's genetic testing?

Question - It is myself in the Qs and I am no longer taking Aricept, I'm taking Gallantamine 16 mg.

2 Community Answers

How can I better my mother with Alzheimer's nutrition?

Question - As people with Alzheimer's progress throught the disease, appetite becomes an issue. It is often very difficult to get proper nutrients into someone who will not eat. You can try using supplements, like Boost or Ensure, as they have vitamins and protein added. Since she likes yogurt, you can try nutritional puddings, as they have the same consistency...

1 Expert Answer, 38 Community Answers

Why is my sister's speech unintelligible?

Question - your sister has probably had a stroke. she needs help and treatment for that. please get her to a doctor. sudden severe changes in a person with dementia is NEVER due to dementia. it ALWAYS means a person needs expert medical help.

1 Community Answer

How fast can Alzheimer's come on?

Question - I posted this in May and my Dad passed away within the week. The decline was unbelievable fast and I believe the agitation was due to the pneumonia. Infections increase the rate of decline!

6 Community Answers

How do we be more comfortable visiting an Alzheimer's patient?

Question - Most anyone who is isolated or confined etc enjoys company - any company, so it doesn't matter if your grandmother doesn't recognize you. I am sure that your visits are very uplifting to your grandmother, and I would make THAT be the focus of your efforts at coping with your feelings during and after the visits...

1 Community Answer

How many stages of Alzheimer's are there?

Question - Thank you for your question. However, I must begin by saying that if you have a loved one whom you suspect may have dementia or is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, please have him or her evaluated by a geriatric neurologist. If, however, you are seeking the answer to that question for your own edification, I am happy to provide the following response...

1 Expert Answer

Why won't my parents and their friends use the word Alzheimer's?

Question - When many people hear the word Alzheimer's, they think of a very senile person. The word evokes a long-standing image of devastating dementia, despite the fact that people with early Alzheimer's can be quite functional and lead a meaningful and fulfilling life for many years...

1 Expert Answer, 9 Community Answers

Is it common for Alzheimer's patients to have good and bad days with their memory?

Question - In early Alzheimer's, your mother may have both good days when she seems like her old self, and bad days when she's very forgetful or confused. As professionals, we don't always know the reasons why. Everybody with Alzheimer's is different. It could be partly because of a medication, but typically, it's the stress of "newness...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Any suggestions for talking to my father, who has Alzheimer's, about his finances?

Question - Parents often fear that enlisting a family member to help with finances means starting down a slippery slope to losing autonomy. Reassure your dad that it doesn't have to be that way. Tell him, "I want you to remain independent for as long as possible. My goal is to help you stay where you are and be in control but to have some support...

1 Expert Answer, 5 Community Answers

Is it safe to leave a parent with Alzheimer's home alone?

Question - Depending on the type of dementia your father has and the severity of his impairment, he might be quite safe at home on his own for a long time to come. The problems faced by people with Alzheimer's disease are usually with memory, so your dad is likely to function quite well if he's in a familiar setting with an established routine and a system of reminders...

1 Expert Answer, 21 Community Answers

How can I get my mother to acknowledge that she has Alzheimer's?

Question - It depends. Getting your mother to admit she has Alzheimer's disease isn't necessarily as important as helping her understand and cope with issues related to her memory loss.

1 Expert Answer, 50 Community Answers

Does stress affect Alzheimer's?

Question - What you're observing is very common in people with Alzheimer's or related dementias. You may also notice that she has difficulty sequencing things (doing things in order) and following a conversation. That's because memory and thinking skills become taxed in a new or different situation...

1 Expert Answer

How do I tell strangers about my parent's Alzheimer's disease?

Question - Going out in public -- for example, to a restaurant, shopping, or traveling -- can be very difficult. You only need to let people know if you feel it's necessary in the particular situation, and you can do so discreetly.Many Alzheimer's Association chapters have small wallet cards that say something...

1 Expert Answer, 7 Community Answers

How can I make my mom's hospital stay with dementia easier?

Question - Hospitals are fairly inhospitable places for people with dementia. Your mom's symptoms may increase because of the strange environment, routines, and people she'll encounter; the anesthesia, which may take weeks or months to completely leave her system; and the postoperative pain...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

What are the first signs of Alzheimer's?

Question - Yes, memory lapses are often the first sign of Alzheimer's recognized by family members. But it's important to realize that many different factors can also cause memory impairment, including other dementias, depression, and drug interactions. (See a list here...

1 Expert Answer, 10 Community Answers

Does Alzheimer's disease cause my mother's rummaging behavior?

Question - Yes, it's probably related to the Alzheimer's. Rummaging behavior is very common. She may be looking for something she can't quite remember, or for something real. She may be trying to organize, or just attempting to stay busy. First, evaluate her environment for things that could be dangerous, and put them away...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

Could my mother have Alzheimer's, rather than dementia?

Question - When the doctors say your mother has dementia, they are referring to her symptoms. Dementia is not a disease but a set of symptoms including memory loss, changes in attention and abstract reasoning, and so on. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, but it's not the only one...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

Who is doing the most promising research for an Alzheimer's cure?

Question - It's hard to say. Scores of research teams around the world are racing to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease; the central problem is that we're not yet sure exactly what causes the disorder in the first place. Until the disease process is understood, a cure per se can't be implemented...

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

How do I go about diagnosing Alzheimer's for my mom?

Question - A doctor diagnoses Alzheimer's disease by process of elimination -- making sure there is no other possible cause for the worrisome symptoms. Many different things can cause memory loss, for example. He also will run some simple cognition tests that have a high accuracy in diagnosing dementia. See this article, "The Path to an Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

What is the life expectancy of someone with Alzheimer's?

Question - The general rule of thumb is that someone with Alzheimer's has half the life expectancy of a peer without this disease. So the average 70- year- old woman can expect to live 16 years, but a 70-year-old with Alzheimer's has an 8-year life expectancy...

1 Expert Answer, 26 Community Answers

Alzheimer's versus dementia

Question - You are absolutely correct that Alzheimer's is just one form of dementia and there are many others. The earliest content created for this website focused first on Alzheimer's simply because of its dominance. We're developing more information to address dementia generally, as well as using broader and...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Is dementia the same as Alzheimer's?

Question - Not exactly. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is not a disease; it's a set of symptoms that affect daily functioning (such as memory loss and changes in abstract reasoning and attention) caused by deterioration in the brain...

1 Expert Answer, 19 Community Answers

How can my mother handle my father's poor nutrition and eating habits?

Question - If your parents are dining alone, then your mother could simply pull the crackers away then he'd be hungry for the meal. If need be, she can explain to others, and staff, why she's doing this. When dining with others and he is more apt to fill up on crackers than finish his meal, I think a good start would be asking the dining server for small portions...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

My mother of 82 has been diagnosed with alzheimers for a few...

Question - June, I feel really bad about my mother too. I can tell you though that it would be a 24/7 job. My mother is up at night and if she wasn't in a home she wouldn't be safe because she has tried to leave the home she is in. She was going to look for her car. There is just know way that one person could provide the care that they need...

1 Community Answer

What kind of stages can I expect with frontemporal atrophy dementia?

Question - Dementia progression can be divided into four stages: Mild, moderate, severe and terminal. Although the early symptoms may differ in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, the progression is similar. Once the person cannot walk even with assistance and cannot communicate, he can be considedered to be in the terminal stage of the illness...

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

Can legal documents be changed after an Alzheimer's diagnosis?

Question - The power to create or change a legal document such as a will, advance directive or power of attorney comes from the person whose property or medical care will be affected by it. Caregivers need not be consulted first.There is a legal requirement, however, that the person for whom such documents are made must be "of sound mind...

1 Expert Answer

How can we convince my mother with Alzheimer's to go to the doctor?

Question - I am sorry to hear of your difficulty: your mother's pain and her contrariness and the feeling of conflict with your brothers. I would like to share a slogan with you that I have used for years. Don't expect things to go your way. Memorize it. Write it on a card. Carry it in your purse. Put it on the refrigerator...

1 Expert Answer

How many stages of Alzheimer's are there?

Question - There are several different ways to count the stages of Alzheimer's, because there is no single, standard classification.

1 Expert Answer

My grandmother has Alzheimer's and refuses to go to the doctor-help!

Question - my mother-n-law has aizheimers. she cant be alone. she got sick. about18 months ago. she started going down fast.after.8 months of her sickness. the doctors took her driver licenses.it. got so hard for me and her son. we had to move her in with us.it is a big task. she cant bathe herself. she gets confused...

2 Community Answers

How can I best communicate with someone who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's?

Question - Communication in the late stage of Alzheimer's is a challenge. I think you are doing the right thing but do stop if she becomes frustrated with trying to get you to understand. Showing items as a clue is perfect and I would only keep asking questions if you think she is uncomfortable or in pain...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

How Do I Know If Someone With Dementia Is Depressed?

Question - Unfortunately, you can't always know if someone who has dementia is depressed. Dementia can make depression much trickier to diagnose, since the symptoms of depression and of dementia can overlap. For example, anxiety, agitation, apathy, and/or irritability can be seen in either dementia or depression, or in both...

FAQ

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

How do I deal with overbearing Alzheimer's care?

Question - This behavior is not uncommon. The well spouse trying to have some "control" over a situation where he has no control because of the disease is a difficult situation. No magic answer but here are some suggestions.

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

My father is taking care of my mother who has Alzheimer's...

Question - My father is taking care of my mother who has Alzheimer's and I'm worried that something may happen to him healthwise and no one would be notified. He has high blood pressure. My mom would not know something is wrong and would not call the paramedics. How do you handle this? I'm thinking some kind of medical alert system...

How can I keep my husband, who has dementia, and teenage daughter from fighting and avoid family conflict?

Question - Let me start by saying how important it is while dealing in family conflict with a teenager, to get some immediate professional help. Ask you family doctor for a referral to a psychologist that works with families and specializes in inter-generational counseling...

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

How can I help myself recover from mild Alzheimer's?

Question - I have some of the symptoms of early Alzheimer's, too. It is very scary after watching what my poor grandma endured living with it.

4 Community Answers

Is there anything else that can help with 'sundowning'?

Question - As dementias progress, whether caused by Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Disease, Lewy Body Disease, or some other cause, it is common that people become agitated, like your dad. Agitation is particularly common in the evenings, as you have seen, and when that happens, many people refer to it as “sun�sundowning...

1 Expert Answer, 25 Community Answers

How do I help care for Mom from a distance?

Question - Your situation sounds exactly like mine, however, mom, who has Alzheimer's worked as an RN her whole life. Dad, retired and then worked part time at a relative's funeral home. He was gone from 3-10pm. We finally convinced him he needed to stop working. Mom would call us (I'm three hours away, my brothers are 5 and 12 hrs away...

1 Community Answer

Which Alzheimer's symptoms get worse over time?

Question - Your mother-in-law is probably approaching the advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease. Her symptoms will become more debilitating as the disease progresses. Her difficulty swallowing may be the first acute symptom you will face. Make sure everyone who cares for her learns what to do if she chokes...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

Can a Person With Alzheimer's Benefit From Hospice Care?

Question - Yes, hospice care is a good fit for many Alzheimer's patients who want physical symptoms controlled and as much spiritual and emotional support as possible.

FAQ

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

How should we explain to my mother with Alzheimer's that she needs to stay in assisted living?

Question - What a dilemma! The good news is that you have done the appropriate steps in making life as uncomplicated as possible for your mom. A placement in an Assisted Living facility (ALF) is the most logical step considering her fragile physical and cognitive functioning. Congratulate yourself for having the bravery to make this unpoular move...

1 Expert Answer

What is a cognitive impairment? Is it the same thing as Alzheimer's disease?

Question - Cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease(AD)are frequently used in the same context but should not to be confused with one another as AD is a diagnosis made following an intense neuro-workup and cognitive impairment refers to a symptom usually noted by problems with knowledge, awareness, and understanding...

1 Expert Answer

Is scratching a symptom of Alzheimer's?

Question - Dear Anonymous:

2 Expert Answers

Is my wife's Alzheimer's causing her to fall asleep frequently during the day?

Question - Dear caregiving husband:

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

What part of Mom's care should I focus on if she has mild Alzheimer's?

Question - First of all, relax. Nothing is going to change drastically anytime soon. I appreciate that you took your mother to a specialist and got a diagnosis and I appreciate that you’re trying to prepare yourself for the repercussions of the diagnosis. Truth is no-one can predict exactly what will happen inin the future or when your mother will need more help...

1 Expert Answer

FAQ: What Is Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease?

Question - Preclinical Alzheimer's disease means that Alzheimer's biomarkers are detected in the brain and blood, but no symptoms of the disease are yet apparent. It's also called "presymptomatic Alzheimer's."

FAQ

1 Expert Answer

What's the best way to handle criticism about the Alzheimer's care I'm giving my mom?

Question - It's very common for people who aren't the primary caregiver to be critical -- they often have no idea how hard day-to-day care is. So I try to make sure everyone in the family understands what all the tasks involved are. At the same time, I try to help the caregiver identify what the specific criticisms...

1 Expert Answer, 7 Community Answers

How do I make sure my father with Alzheimer's remembers to take his medicines?

Question - Even in cases of mild or early dementia, it's common to have poor prospective memory -- that is, memory for events in the future -- like taking medication or keeping appointments. It's also hard to form new habits, whereas longtime pill-taking routines may be easier to remember and maintain.

1 Expert Answer, 16 Community Answers

When a person with Alzheimer's repeatedly makes mistakes, is it OK to correct her?

Question - It depends. After working with many people with memory loss, my feeling is that each person is different.

1 Expert Answer, 4 Community Answers

Should my mom's house remain unchanged even though she has memory problems?

Question - Changing the environment drastically is usually very disorienting to someone with dementia or Alzheimer's. It's best to maintain familiar surroundings.

1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

How can I keep my father, who has dementia, from losing things?

Question - Look for practical solutions. Creating routine is a big help. Keep certain items like the phone, a message board, and a calendar in plain sight in a central location that everybody uses all the time. Your dad learns where things are by repetition, not by reason.

1 Expert Answer, 12 Community Answers

How can I get my brother to help with Alzheimer's care?

Question - There are many different reasons that one family member may seem to check out when it comes to caring for a parent with Alzheimer's. It could be denial. It could be fear. It could be that since he's so far away, he doesn't want -- or know how -- to get involved.

1 Expert Answer, 8 Community Answers

Should I take cigarettes away from my mother, who has Alzheimer's, for fear she'll start a fire?

Question - Smokers with Alzheimer's are a real challenge because, with advancing age, they're already at a point when there are a lot of things they can no longer do. A caregiver always needs to be aware of that. The goal is to help your mother maintain as much of her independence as possible. Still, that has its limits...

1 Expert Answer, 7 Community Answers

How can I help my dad, who has Alzheimer's, communicate?

Question - If your dad has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he may feel stressed when he can't find the words he's looking for. Word-finding difficulties are one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Can Alzheimer's affect how someone feels about the outdoors?

Question - Without knowing her complete history, it's difficult to figure out what may be bothering her. But with dementia in general, there's a tendency to lose one's problem-solving skills. Knowing what to do in the garden -- the process of pruning, watering, weeding, and so forth -- may now be problematic...

1 Expert Answer

Should I continue to encourage my mom to be social, even as her Alzheimer's worsens?

Question - Whether your mother remembers these experiences really doesn't matter. The measure of success is to understand how she experiences them. If the activities seem enjoyable, they should be continued indefinitely. On the other hand, if they're proving too stressful for her, they should be scaled back or stopped...

1 Expert Answer

Do we tell my grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimers, about a death in the family?

Question - On the Alzheimer List (from Washington University ADRC) we have dealt with this many times and for people in many stages of the disease. Bottom line...there are a few rules:

1 Expert Answer, 10 Community Answers

Should I interfere in my mother's social life if she has Alzheimer's?

Question - I too had to deal with a man who was sexually exploiting my mother, who also has Alzheimer's disease. At the time, mom was still living alone in her own home and had a lot of personal freedom.

2 Expert Answers, 3 Community Answers

Do I tell my mother her memory trouble is Alzheimer's?

Question - What you do depends on the degree to which your mother is troubled by or aware of her symptoms. Does she ever express frustration with herself, exasperation, or a sense of loss that she can't do things she used to be able to do? If you asked her directly whether her memory was giving her any difficulty, would she say yes...

1 Expert Answer

Can vitamin supplements and herbals slow memory loss due to Alzheimer's disease?

Question - No vitamin or herb can improve his memory. Nor can they stop the memory loss. Certain vitamins and prescription drugs, a good diet, exercise, and continuing mental stimulation -- all those things together could be helpful in retaining memory longer, however...

1 Expert Answer, 9 Community Answers

Is it normal for someone who has Alzheimer's to make a mess while urinating?

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

How can we get my dad, who has dementia, accept help in the bathroom?

Question - I don’t think any of us would be particularly thrilled to have a stranger wipe our butts. Your father is apparently especially modest, so it’s quite understandable that he will refuse to accept assistance in the bathroom. Unfortunately there’s no way to give him medication selectively – it would affould...

1 Expert Answer

Are there any sleep aids that don't have side effects for dementia patients?

Question - Sleep patterns can be drastically affected by Alzheimer's disease and by other related disorders that cause the symptom of dementia.

1 Expert Answer, 7 Community Answers

How do we get my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer's, to allow us to clean her house or bathe her?

Question - Your mother-in-law's resistance to cleaning may be because this is her home and she resents others taking control of it. Or it may be the disruption in routine, the extra noise and commotion. Two things to try: 1) Give her a task, such as dusting or pushing the va...

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

How do we explain to my mom, who has Alzheimer's, that she cannot bring all of her household items when moving in with my brother?

Question - First, you need to look at this from your mother's point of view. Most of us would never choose to move in with family when we have been independent, even if it is for our own good. Many people, as they grow older, worry that all the things they have worked hard for will be thrown away or devalued by their children...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Two months after my father-in-law's passing, my mother-in-law with dementia no longer recognizes my wife. What could have triggered this?

Question - No longer being recognized is one of the most painful effects of Alzheimer's and dementia for family members. It's impossible to say exactly what caused this new development, but stress and stressful events are known to worsen dementia. Your father-in-law's death was a major stressor for your mother-in-law...

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

If visiting with and talking to extended family members unsettles my father, who has Alzheimer's, should we continue while still remembers them or stop?

Question - Helping people with dementia adjust to a move is always tricky and very individual. For your father-in-law it sounds like reality has set in and he wants to go home now. Think about what you, other family, and staff are saying to him. He is most likely getting mixed messages...

1 Expert Answer, 3 Community Answers

Is it normal for dementia patients to lose their ability to speak?

Question - It sounds as if your mother is depressed and she may need medication to help her get over this sadness. Depression is often seen in people with dementia.

1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

How do you keep from correcting someone who has dementia?

Question - You just drop it. If someone has dementia, they may give an incorrect answer without realizing it, or they may forget incidents that happened or details about them. They either truly don't realize the error, or they suspect a mistake but feel too proud (or scared) to own up to it...

1 Expert Answer

My dad has stage 7 dementia and attends adult day services...

Question - My dad has stage 7 dementia and attends adult day services 3x a week. He lives with my mom who is is main caregiver. Problems occur in the evening. His personality changes and he becomes agitated and argumentative gets dressed and leaves the house alone. No one can stop him and its dark. He may become abusive if my mom contined to try to stop him...

What are late stages of dementia signs?

Question - My husband could not speak for months and he was also in a geri chair. I continued to sit beside him and stroke his arms and his hair. He loved for his hair to be rubbed. I would sit close and remind him of old memories and stories. Sometimes he could respond by wiggling his eyebrows...

2 Community Answers

How can I convince Mom not to move?

Question - Does your mom have a friend, doctor, or clergyperson that she trusts? If so, you could express your reservations to them, and ask them to discuss the matter with your mom.

1 Community Answer

How can I protect my grandfather's assets?

Question - Any advice you get or take must be tempered with a dose of reality: Short of getting your grandfather a personality transplant, there may be nothing you can do to change his wily and unpredictable ways. After all, he’s had them for 93 years.

1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

Should I correct a dementia patient?

Question - Of course one of the first signs of dementia is "getting things wrong". My rule of thumb is to gently and respectfully correct the person unless this upsets them. When they become upset with being corrected it may mean that they have are frightened that they are losing their memory. Do not upset them more by telling them they are wrong...

1 Expert Answer, 9 Community Answers

Is it good to limit visiting of a dementia patient?

Question - Listen to your gut because you are exactly right. Crowds and noise often bring about agitation for a person with dementia, not to mention stress for you when you add "hostess" and "host" to the list of hats you and your husband wear on a regular basis.

1 Expert Answer, 13 Community Answers

My Mother has dementia which cntinues to worsen. I have her...

Question - My Mother has dementia which continues to worsen. I have her living with me because I've found that centers that treat patients are sub-par. My biggest question is that, since there is someone with her 24/7, I want to know why she can not be given stronger pain meds? Her confusion, repetitive questions/statements and her fragility I think I can handle...

what are the symptoms of dementia?

Question - My Mother has dementia and has had it for about six years. We've moved her into our house and have provided great care for her. In the last few days she hasn't been telling us when she needs to have a bowel movement, and has started to go in her Depends pull-up pants. Is this a normal progression with the dementia, and what can I do...

How should I handle my mother's hallucinations?

Question - Vonney-I so relate to your response of being taken aback when this first started happening to your mother, despite your nursing background. I worked for 25 years as a hair stylist and it was not uncommon to work on people displaying these symptoms, yet it was altogether different when it was my dad in that chair...

3 Community Answers

Questions About Alzheimer's

Also from Caring.com