The Cellar  

Go Back   The Cellar > Main > Relationships

Relationships People who need people; or, why can't we all just get along?

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-01-2018, 07:41 PM   #1
captainhook455
Rapscallion
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,357
Dementia Sucks

So my wife is 10 yrs older than I. She had a bad stroke 16 yrs ago and even with no use of the left arm we have had a blissful life. Along with stroke comes a chance of dementia.

Might get it might not. I will probably get it with 2 strokes and my father had it. Shit seems to strike those with a better than average IQ.

My wife wants to check herself into a nursing home. I know something has to happen, because she is driving me fucking nuts.
captainhook455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2018, 07:51 PM   #2
sexobon
I love it when a plan comes together.
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 9,793
Does she have a recent evaluation from a physician that makes her eligible for nursing home care?
sexobon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2018, 08:45 PM   #3
captainhook455
Rapscallion
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,357
She is on CAPS she is a shoe in. The Dept of Aging lady said last year that she has noticed the changes in Shirley. I was like what changes?
captainhook455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2018, 08:50 PM   #4
Clodfobble
UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 20,012
Sorry cap'n, that sucks.
Clodfobble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2018, 09:23 PM   #5
Glinda
Fucktard Resistance League
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 1.14 acres of heaven
Posts: 1,512
Quote:
Originally Posted by captainhook455 View Post
So my wife is 10 yrs older than I. She had a bad stroke 16 yrs ago and even with no use of the left arm we have had a blissful life. Along with stroke comes a chance of dementia.

Might get it might not. I will probably get it with 2 strokes and my father had it. Shit seems to strike those with a better than average IQ.

My wife wants to check herself into a nursing home. I know something has to happen, because she is driving me fucking nuts.
Have you considered both of you moving to an assisted living place that has a dementia/Alzheimer's unit?

I've just been through a year and a half of dealing with my mother's dementia and father's mild Alzheimer's, and have learned SO much about the proper housing/facilities for folks that are in the position you are. If there's anything I can offer as far as advice or suggestions or just relating my own experience to give you some idea of what lies ahead, please PM me.

The reality is, nobody really knows what to do when confronted with dementia. Most of the time, it kind of creeps up on you and suddenly you're in a spot where changes need to happen, and often very quickly. You jump in order to do the best thing for your loved one, and sometimes you jump in the wrong direction, just because you HAVE to jump somewhere, right now.

That's how it happened with my mom. One day, she was 90 years old (with the occasional/very minor moments of dementia, and two very small stokes under her belt) - still driving and shopping and cooking and cleaning and caring for the house and yard and for my frail but mostly coherent father, and the next, she was utterly and completely gone.

I didn't make any really bad mistakes, but there are things I would have done differently. The bottom line is, I SO wish I'd had more information and been better prepared in knowing what to expect, costs, different types of facilities, health insurance, estate/trust/financial preparations, and so on.

For example, did either of you serve in the military? There may be financial assistance available through the VA. I learned a lot. I have information to share!

Again, if there is any way I might be able to help, please let me know.

Glinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 07:12 AM   #6
Griff
still says videotape
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 26,813
Sorry Cap. This growing old shit ain't cool.
__________________
If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you.
- Louis D. Brandeis
Griff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 07:27 AM   #7
glatt
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
You're a good one Glinda.

Each journey is a different one.

My cousin, for whom I was POA and medical decision making dude, had dementia before he died. It was very hard getting him into the care he needed because he thought he was fine and wanted to stay home alone in his house. He was living in filth and would go days without eating. I had to trick him, and he pretty much hated me for it once he realized that I had no intention of getting him out and back into his house. Fortunately he had been declared incompetent by a neurologist and I could blame that neurologist for him being placed in a dementia ward of an assisted living facility.

Fortunately for him, he had money, and being in a position where he had money, he had purchased long term care insurance, which paid his assisted living bills for the year or two that he was in there. Long term care insurance was great for him, although I don't know how much he paid in premiums all those years and if he got back out what he had paid in. Probably not. That's how they make their money.
glatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 09:02 AM   #8
captainhook455
Rapscallion
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,357
I appreciate the wisdom of my fellows here on this forum. I have not posted this sad tale in the other forum that I frequent.

The last 6 yrs of my father's dementia were spent with us. I hired a couple to help for $600 a week, but they came 7 days. Now I am broke and have to do something else.
captainhook455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 01:46 PM   #9
Glinda
Fucktard Resistance League
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 1.14 acres of heaven
Posts: 1,512
Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt View Post
You're a good one Glinda.

Each journey is a different one.

My cousin, for whom I was POA and medical decision making dude, had dementia before he died. It was very hard getting him into the care he needed because he thought he was fine and wanted to stay home alone in his house. He was living in filth and would go days without eating. I had to trick him, and he pretty much hated me for it once he realized that I had no intention of getting him out and back into his house. Fortunately he had been declared incompetent by a neurologist and I could blame that neurologist for him being placed in a dementia ward of an assisted living facility.

Fortunately for him, he had money, and being in a position where he had money, he had purchased long term care insurance, which paid his assisted living bills for the year or two that he was in there. Long term care insurance was great for him, although I don't know how much he paid in premiums all those years and if he got back out what he had paid in. Probably not. That's how they make their money.
Sounds like you've already got some experience with this sort of thing under your belt. I commend you for what you've done for your family . . . it is SO hard.

My folks had a long term policy too, but after paying into it for a decade or so, the company went belly up and they were screwed.

When the crisis hit (a UTI that turned in to full-on dementia - mom was quite aggressive, combative, and exit-seeking). I initially tried to bring her home, hoping that the familiar setting would calm her down and maybe I could have home visits/help for my folks. No, she was out of control. Caught her trying to climb the back fence, she left notes in the mailbox for the mailman ("Help! I've been kidnapped!"), she threw bricks at me, filched knives from the kitchen and hid them in her bed, she never slept for more than an hour or two at a time . . . it was a nightmare.

After four days of this, I checked her into a full-on dementia facility. After a month, she settled down and regained some of her sanity, so I was able to put her and dad in an assisted living place with a dementia/Alzheimer's unit. My mother begged me and badgered me to take her back to their house, just so she could see it again . . . but I was too afraid to take her there, lest she flip out and jump out of the car, refuse to leave the house, or run away, hurt herself, whatever.

I'll never forget her saying to me, "You're killing me. I hate you."



Hang in there, man. If you or the captain or anyone else need someone to commiserate with, or you just need to vent a little, I'm here for you.

Last edited by Glinda; 01-02-2018 at 02:11 PM.
Glinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 02:06 PM   #10
glatt
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
And disconnecting the battery of his car while someone took him to a doctor's appointment. Probably saved a few lives with that trick.
glatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 02:11 PM   #11
Glinda
Fucktard Resistance League
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 1.14 acres of heaven
Posts: 1,512
Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt View Post
And disconnecting the battery of his car while someone took him to a doctor's appointment. Probably saved a few lives with that trick.
Heh. Clever!
Glinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 08:50 PM   #12
xoxoxoBruce
The future is unwritten
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 71,105
I bought my fathers van and gave it to someone who needed it, because he couldn't remember he didn't have a licence anymore.
__________________
The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.
xoxoxoBruce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-02-2018, 08:51 PM   #13
BigV
Goon Squad Leader
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Seattle
Posts: 27,063
UTIs are notorious for causing erratic behavior.
__________________
Be Just and Fear Not.
BigV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2018, 11:10 AM   #14
Glinda
Fucktard Resistance League
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 1.14 acres of heaven
Posts: 1,512
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigV View Post
UTIs are notorious for causing erratic behavior.
Yeah, that one was a big shock for me. Had no idea how common it is and how quickly it can turn someone's brains to jello. Mom checked in to the hospital with a bowel blockage that led to the UTI. Two days later, she was gone. Slugged a couple of nurses. They had to literally tie her to the bed because she kept trying to escape.

Two days, people. Two days.

Life is so fragile. I often wonder how I made it this long without some sort of massive medical blowout. With my luck, I'll live another 30 freakin' years.

*shudder*
Glinda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2018, 12:53 PM   #15
captainhook455
Rapscallion
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,357
They can't restrain you anymore. No hand gloves tied to the railing. No seatbelt to keep them from falling out of a wheelchair. Drugging them into a stupor is okay.

My daughter works at a nursing home. She says the government has stopped paying for painkillers and a few others. There won't be anything to keep them calm. They will be breaking out and running amok with the general populace. I don't see how they will recruit employees to work in the dementia ward.
captainhook455 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:45 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.