[getnrichslowly]

Anyone else take care of a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease?
My brother and I (with help) have taken care of our dad for over ten years.

 

[wanderinggrandma]

I helped my mom take care of my dad for 5 years. He passed away in 2002. It was a privilege to spend time with him and I'm so glad I helped. We were able to keep him home until the very end.

My only advice is to make sure you take care of yourself too. It is physically and emotionally exhausting when you are the care giver.

 

[getnrichslowly]

I wasn't really looking for advice, just seeing if anyone else was dealing with a similar situation. After ten years, trust me, I take time for myself or I would have gone insane by now.

I have taken many caregiving classes, given speeches across the country promoting awareness of the disease and was interviewed by People Magazine about what it's like taking care of him.

The disease has been in the news a lot lately and I wondered if anyone else took care of someone, too.

 

[AmyMCGS]

I work in a nursing home (Activity Director) with many Alz residents, but that's a different situation from caring for a loved one at home.

 

[TiaW]

The most prevalent dementia in middle age is...

actually not alzheimer's, it's FTD, or Frontal Temporal Dementia. My husband Ryan, aged 38 is an end stage FTD patient. He requires round the clock care, as do our 4 kids, so he has been in a nursing home for 2 years. Not sure if that qualifies me as a caregiver exactly, but I am his legal guardian and I do travel the 3 hr round trip twice a week to visit him, (try getting a nursing home to accept a 38 yr old, 240 lb dementia patient! this was the only one in the state that would!) and I do help coordinate care with his hospice and nursing home teams... and I do miss him more than I think I would miss air if I could no longer breathe... *sigh*

FTD isn't alz. but it's kind of close, just not as well known. It's still a horrible way to go... So, am I kith?? Or do I have to go make my own group, cuz that might be hard... C'mon! Lemme hang out too! I'm nice!

~Tia

 

[getnrichslowly]

You can absolutely be in this kith!
I am very familiar with FTD, my friend's husband has it.

Last month we had to put my dad in a nursing home. He's in pretty late stages and we physically couldn't do it anymore. My brother's wife watched him during the day when I teach and she is pregnant and once he fell, we had to put him in for safety reasons.

You are in my prayers.

 

[hunertime]

My grandma lived with my parents and we would have her here every other weekend and when my folks went on vacation. A neat memory picture I have is where her and my 3 year old was coloring together. We took care of her as a family until a month before she died.