Caregiving is difficult...

**mrsfoamy** · 11-25-2009, 09:09 AM

MIL woke up this morning and thought it was Thanksgiving. Which was fine, I was going to make corn bread this morning, but she did. I'd rather she not make the sweet potatos though, I told her I'd do it tomorrow. Because Thanksgiving is tomorrow

OMG - I hear her in the kitchen again....

**savvy_sniper** · 11-25-2009, 11:18 AM

mrsfoamy,

I cared for my mother for 5+ years. She had MANY medical problems and Alzheimer's. She woke me up in the wee hours one morning asking where something was in the kitchen. Half asleep I answered her and ALMOST rolled over and went back to sleep.

My internal alarm went off! I jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen. She had a skillet burning on the stove (nothing in it) and all the dishes and silverware out and on the kitchen table. She SAID everyone that was making their first communion was coming over for breakfast!.

We had a sliding door to the kitchen, so hubby put one of those screen door latches up high where only he and I could reach to keep her out of the kitchen. Others I have known unplugged the stove/turned off the gas/took the knobs off.

You are in my thoughts and prayers!

**Debbie-cat** · 11-25-2009, 01:34 PM

We go through the same thing sometimes, because FIL's medications are only given twice a day we can leave giving them to him up to an 1 hour later so if he is being difficult, we try a few minutes later and another few minutes until he snaps out of it and takes it. It usually works. Sometimes we wil sit and talk to him about old times and he changes into a better mood and then he will take them.

Good luck.

**mrsfoamy** · 02-15-2010, 07:32 PM

Guess what I learned today?

The sky is not always blue.

Some days it's azure. Some days it's cerulean. Some days it's overcast and not blue at all.
I can deal with it.
OK ask me if you don't understand what I'm getting at here.....

**lisaflex** · 02-15-2010, 07:36 PM

good luck to you and god bless!

you are in a tough spot. do you have other sibs that can/will help?

i have to take care of my mom who has cancer. she lives about 45 minutes away...sis and bro live OOT. they have no idea. she is not a nice person at all and was not a good mom. but as a dtr i do SOME stuff for her. not all though. she is too nasty for that.

sending you a hug or two or twelve

**frugalfranny** · 02-16-2010, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by MaryCarney

My only bit of advice would be this - if your loved one with dementia has access to a vehicle, please take immediate steps to prevent them from driving. We have had two people killed in our county by dementia patients driving the wrong way on the interstate. I told my dad that the FIRST thing I would do is disable/sell/ whatever his vehicle if I suspected dementia to prevent him from ever doing this.

I TOTALLY AGREE with you MC.

But sometimes it isn't always that easy. My father never gave up driving until we got him in a home. The POLICE had stopped him 3 times and THEY couldn't even pull the license. He was lost all the times. Couldn't even tell them where he was from - they got info off his license! GLAD THAT IS OVER! It was a freaking nightmare and you find out how STUPID some of our laws truly are......or how USELESS!