Is there anyway we can help with my husband's Alzheimer's confusion?
Philomena asked...
My husband of 75 years has had Alzheimer's disease for the past 5 years. For the past year whatever he is told, most often he does the opposite. This is very frustrating. If you tell him to open the left hand cupboard he will open the right hand one. If he's told not to do something he will do that anyway. Is there anything we can do to help this?
Expert Answer
Ladislav Volicer, M.D., Ph.D., is recognized as an international expert on advanced dementia care. He is a courtesy full professor at the School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, and visiting professor at the Third Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Twenty-five years ago, he established one of the first dementia special care units.
Your husband is losing the ability to comprehend what you are telling him. He might not be able to distinquish left and right. You might want to use non-verbal means of communication, e.g., modeling what you want him to do. I am sure that he is not doing this just to make you mad, it is the disease. If he is not taking Aricept and/or Namenda, starting these medications may help for some time.