Beth Spencer, Caring.com Expert
Beth Spencer is a social worker in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with more than 25 years of experience with families who have a member with dementia. She is coauthor of Understanding Difficult Behaviors and Moving a Relative with Memory Loss: A Family Caregiver's Guide. She directs Silver Club, early-stage and adult day programs serving individuals with Alzheimer's and related illnesses.
Recently Published on Caring.com
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Yes, most professionals consider this a form of neglect or abuse. It's generally not very safe and can be extremely upsetting to the person with Alzheimer’s disease. ...
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Is it common for people with Alzheimer's to be able to do one task but not the reverse of it? — Nov 30, 2008There can be many things going on here. The person may not be able to understand the function of an item anymore -- so she looks at an object, but can no longer readily ide... -
The first thing to analyze is why and when she is taking off her clothes. Sometimes this is an indication of discomfort -- uncomfortable clothing, the person is too h... -
How can I help my mom, who has dementia, deal with seling her home and possessions and moving? — Nov 04, 2008Moving a person with dementia can be very difficult even though it's often necessary. My suggestion is that you find a way to have the yard sale and empty the house without... -
How can I get my aunt who has dementia to leave her house... — Nov 04, 2008Many people with dementia become uncomfortable going out, even when they have been social people in the past. There are many possible reasons: Feeling discomfort in larger ... -
Can dementia change personality? — Nov 04, 2008Dementia can, indeed, change a person’s personality if the part of the brain where personality is lodged is damaged. Sometimes there are situations or people that are... -
What you're describing is called “hoarding” behavior in the mental health field. It's considered a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior and is very difficult t... -
Should my mother with dementia be put in a care facility? — Oct 29, 2008I'm not sure what you mean by a "bout of dementia." The first question is whether your mother has been diagnosed with some form of dementia. The symptoms of... -
The test in the doctor's office is called a Mini Mental Status Test (MMSE). It's a screen for possible memory problems, not a diagnostic test. It's routinely given to older... -
What you are describing could be a visual hallucination or a delusion (a mistaken belief). In either case there are many possible causes. Sometimes sensory loss, in the for... -
Should me tell my mother, who has dementia and can get very emotional, that her brother has passed away? — Jul 31, 2008It's always difficult to decide what to tell individuals in the middle or later stages of dementia about the death of a loved one. Because they are in the middle or l... -
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? — Jul 21, 2008First, 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 ... -
This is just the first of many issues like this: driving, finances, living alone, etc. All will require family intervention at some point. Now is a good time to think about... -
How do we get my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer's, to allow us to clean her house or bathe her? — Jul 21, 2008Your 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 n... -
How can we cope with my dad's severe sundown syndrome? — Jul 21, 2008Your poor father has a lot on his plate. Most of us would feel angry and frustrated dealing with the pain and discomfort he must be feeling at night. It sounds as though hi... -
What can I do about my family's Alzheimer's disease denial? — Jul 21, 2008What are they denying? That she has Alzheimer's disease? That there are any problems? A diagnosis is just a label. Some people with early Alzheimer's are fine at home... -
Is it normal for my grandfather, who has Alzheimer's and dementia, to be acting inappropriately towards other people? — Jul 21, 2008One of the things that happens sometimes in people with dementia is that they lose some of their social inhibitions, due to some of the changes in their brains. This means ... -
What you are describing could be a visual hallucination or a delusion (a mistaken belief). In either case there are many possible causes. Sometimes sensory loss, in the for... -
How do I balance my time with the time I need to give to caring for my mother with Alzheimer's? — Jul 09, 2008You are absolutely right that it is important for you to balance your time with your mother with your own needs. If you start this now in the early stages, you will be in a... -
Moving a relative with memory loss can be a very delicate operation as you are finding out. When someone has flat out refused, as your mother has, it becomes even more diff... -
What you are describing could be a visual hallucination or a delusion (a mistaken belief). In either case there are many possible causes. Sometimes sensory loss, in the fo... -
One of the things you have probably learned by now is that you can’t really reason with your grandma at this point. She is not capable of rational, logical argu... -
I think you are going to have to assert yourself more than you have been. Your mother is not capable of making good decisions at this point because her judgment is im... -
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 n... -
You don’t say whether your mother still views her dog as a companion or whether she ignores the dog completely. If the former, then you might want to try to kee...
