- Jan 6, 2015
- 14,040
- 26,202
I don't remember posting this, or why.....
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On a more serious note, how many of you have dealt with a family member entering dementia or living with it? How have you prepared for it yourself, if you expect it will come for you?
I ask based on two factors. One, it runs in my family - those that have been long lived (past 80s, into 90's) have all ended with severe dementia. I'm certain I'll get it eventually (I'm somewhat brain fogged as it is sometimes*), but the silver lining is maybe diabetes takes me out beforehand. The other factor, is that my MIL (78yo) recently fell while visiting and hit her head on the concrete as a result. She's been 1w in hospital, 1.5w in rehab, and upon release we were informed she cannot drive, cannot live alone, and aside from recovering from the head injury she has early dementia. We know she doesn't want a nursing home, and we want her with us while we can handle it (we may not recognize when that line is crossed). We're on 2mo now of her with us, wife and I take turns sleeping in the room outside nana's room and my wife takes care of her all day (quit her day job for now). I work from home mostly and pitch in where I can, and my BIL comes from NJ periodically to spend a week and take shifts, sort out the medical bills and help us with legal issues (he has POAtty but is fully aligned with us).
Nana, of course, thinks she's fine. States repeatedly she is going home soon - to the point of causing issues at rehab, and emotionally jabbing her daughter (my wife) frequently. It's a situation where she is aware enough to know she doesn't like the situation, but not enough to grasp WHY this is the situation.
EDIT: *my growing fog is most likely a lack of sleep on my part. The nights I have nana duty we're up about every 2h to pee (one of us, if not both). And, somehow, on my shifts is when everything goes to **** = last time she was up every 10min for an hour trying to pee but not (dehydration, which combined with a UTI she didn't acknowledge, sent her electrolytes out of balance and we entered full blown dislocation from reality for the day and ended in the ER).
Any of ya'll dealt with this? Any tips or suggestions?
= = = ====
On a more serious note, how many of you have dealt with a family member entering dementia or living with it? How have you prepared for it yourself, if you expect it will come for you?
I ask based on two factors. One, it runs in my family - those that have been long lived (past 80s, into 90's) have all ended with severe dementia. I'm certain I'll get it eventually (I'm somewhat brain fogged as it is sometimes*), but the silver lining is maybe diabetes takes me out beforehand. The other factor, is that my MIL (78yo) recently fell while visiting and hit her head on the concrete as a result. She's been 1w in hospital, 1.5w in rehab, and upon release we were informed she cannot drive, cannot live alone, and aside from recovering from the head injury she has early dementia. We know she doesn't want a nursing home, and we want her with us while we can handle it (we may not recognize when that line is crossed). We're on 2mo now of her with us, wife and I take turns sleeping in the room outside nana's room and my wife takes care of her all day (quit her day job for now). I work from home mostly and pitch in where I can, and my BIL comes from NJ periodically to spend a week and take shifts, sort out the medical bills and help us with legal issues (he has POAtty but is fully aligned with us).
Nana, of course, thinks she's fine. States repeatedly she is going home soon - to the point of causing issues at rehab, and emotionally jabbing her daughter (my wife) frequently. It's a situation where she is aware enough to know she doesn't like the situation, but not enough to grasp WHY this is the situation.
EDIT: *my growing fog is most likely a lack of sleep on my part. The nights I have nana duty we're up about every 2h to pee (one of us, if not both). And, somehow, on my shifts is when everything goes to **** = last time she was up every 10min for an hour trying to pee but not (dehydration, which combined with a UTI she didn't acknowledge, sent her electrolytes out of balance and we entered full blown dislocation from reality for the day and ended in the ER).
Any of ya'll dealt with this? Any tips or suggestions?
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;)
