Learning and sharing information to support loved ones with Alzheimer's and Dementia--
When my mom came to live with me, I changed her primary care physician to my own personal doctor. His office was near-by and I was already familiar with office and staff. Shortly afterwards, I phoned for an appointment so Dr. Smith could meet Mom and assess her stage of Alzheimer’s. Not wanting to speak [...]
To encourage early detection and diagnosis, the Alzheimer’s Association Website has listed 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s. This is not the list of 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s but rather a list of “warning signs” that you may be vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and should visit your physician and make him aware of your symptoms of memory-loss. [...]
What is Early-Onset Alzheimer’s – Can I inherit it Only a small number of the national average of Alzheimer’s patients suffer from Early-Onset Alzheimer’s. Unlike most Alzheimer’s symptoms which usually occur after the age of 65, early-onset Alzheimer symptoms generally begin while the patient is in their 50′s. A small number of sufferers show symptoms [...]
Before Mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis she lived alone and called me first thing every morning to ask what day it was. Actually, she often called 5 or 6 times every morning to learn the day, date and time. As I look back now, I can hardly believe that I was so annoyed because she couldn’t remember [...]
The first thing people ask for when they suspect Alzheimer’s in a family member or loved one is a list of signs and symptoms. They want to know all the behaviors that a person with Alzheimer’s or Dementia might have. They want a precise diagnosis; when they got it, what causes it, and how to [...]
For as long as I can remember, my Mother kept a neat and tidy home . Even when my brothers and I were youngsters, terrorizing the place by sliding down waxed floors in socked feet, our home was neat as a pin. My Mom was a gentle woman raised in the era shortly after the [...]
My Mom often remarked that she was frightened by the “Old Woman” who constantly followed her. For a long time, I thought it was an hallucination. But one day, as I stood beside Mom in front of the mirror, she pointed to her own reflection and said, “There she is. That Old Woman! She’s scarey [...]
On one particular morning Mom called to complain that her Television would not work. She had long been infatuated with Bob Barker and the Price Is Right. And more recently, TV had become her all-time favorite pastime since it required little interaction. Mom could no longer watch movies or soap operas or serial television with [...]
This story is a little longer than most. Mom had begun to repeat herself and tell the same stories over and over but my brothers and I had accepted the inevitable and attributed her behavior to aging. On this day… I had an inkling that something else might be wrong. Everything was not fine with [...]
I first began to notice odd behavior in the year before Mom’s husband passed away. It was nothing outrageous or ominous that pointed to Alzheimers, just behavior that was unusual for Mom. I took note, assessed it as a sign of aging and allowed the moment to pass. And I wasn’t reminded of those moments [...]
