Alzheimer's Disease

Has anyone had any experiece with this with a love one?
My Grandpa, (papa) has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. I have done some Wikipedia and WebMD research, but really still am not sure what more to expect. My Papa is very important to me, I consider him to be more of a father then grandpa. We are extremelly close and I am jut miserable knowing he and us are going to be fighting this disease.

Oh, Kim, I am so sorry to hear this!!! I don't have any experience with it, but I wanted to give you and let you know you and your family will be in my

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Posted by RisiLeigh

Oh, Kim, I am so sorry to hear this!!! I don't have any experience with it, but I wanted to give you and let you know you and your family will be in my

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Thank you.. I need all the prayers I can get. He is my Rock.

hey kim i dont have a personal experience either, but from what I know the severity/agressiveness can really vary from person to person..and what can be very quick & agressive to one person, can be very subtle in another. I can also tell you from what my sil went through with her grandmother, that although it's hard for the family, the individual really doesn't know they're confused..(but again i really think this varies).. if that offers any help or comfort.. lots of hugs & prayers for u & ur family please keep us updated!

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Posted by Kimbalina

Has anyone had any experiece with this with a love one?
My Grandpa, (papa) has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. I have done some Wikipedia and WebMD research, but really still am not sure what more to expect. My Papa is very important to me, I consider him to be more of a father then grandpa. We are extremelly close and I am jut miserable knowing he and us are going to be fighting this disease.

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My nanny just passed away last May, she had dymentia, which is a form of AD. Just be very strong for your grandfather. It's not going to be easy, he may not remember who you are. try not to be upset in front of him. my nanny's mother had AD and I was very young, but she thought i was her mother..as a young girl, it was scary, but watching my nanny go through that was very difficult. I still get very upset to this day, b/c she is no longer with us. My advice, just be strong for him!!

My grandfather has it too- he is on aracept (sp?) and it helps slow the disease- there is also a patch that they can wear.

If you have any other questions about coping or dealing, feel free to FM me, my grandfather was awful before drugs, but now is like his old self- well most of the time.

for you to have to go through this.

I have dealt with this with my great grandmother and right now with DH's grandma..It sometimes depends on each person. I know that sometimes it can be frustrating, and really hard. For example. Dh's grandma lives with us and she will ask us to let the dog out. Next thing we let him back in and he goes in the back room and she says,,oh can you let the dog out i think he has to go! And then we have to remind her he just came in.. Its sad. And Over the Holidays it got to the point we were watching old family movies and Nannie gets up to get her coat and turns to MIL and says. Can you take me home, my mom and dad might be worried cause its late.. I felt so bad for my MIL she started to cry. Alzheimers is a very diffucult thing to go through. Just know that the y dont mean to forget things or possibly forget you. Things you can do to help is make a photo Album of everyone in your family. You can look at it with them and tell them who is in the pictures. Just be there for him cause as they realize they forget things it hurts them as well.

Kim I also don't have any personal experience, but am astung prayer for you and your family.

Kim

My grandma, who passed away in October, had AD and my grandma, her husband, also has it now. She was forgetful at first, and then started getting a little nasty about things - we knew that was not her of course, but my aunt, her daughter who lives with them, was hurt most by it. She would say horrible things to her. My grandfather is more confused than anything, and I think he confuses dreams with reality - he is always saying that I'm still looking for that lady that was here with me (my grandma ) and I am not sure he remembers much sometimes about her death - he is always asking my mom if he was good to her at the end ... And he said the other day that a man was in the house, looking around. He has said this before and it's weird because you don't know if someone was really there or if he dreamed it.

I know what you are going through ... it's hard. Talk to your family about the aricept. We are thinking about it for my grandfather.

Oh Kim, I'm sorry!

I have experience with this..my granpa had Dimentia too and it started slow, but ended up getting pretty bad. we had to put him in a nursing home and he didn't understand that.

At the beginning of his diagnosis, we took him to Vegas. It was me, my mom, aunt & him.. WE left him napping in the room and told him we'd be back in an hour. Well, when we got back..he was gone. We couldn't find him and had security looking for him. It took about 15 mins, but he was at the taxi stand asking for 5-45..which was his address..luckily the hotel didn't have a room 5-45 so they knew something was going on. It was we realized he couldn't be left alone anymore. We had to hire a home helath aide and then he moved in with us and then went to the home. He just passed away in September at 90 years old.

It's a difficult disease to deal with and hard to understand. There is no rhyme or reason to the progression. Just be strong for him and you may have to go with the confusion..agree with or he'll get upset.

Kim,

I'm sorry to hear you are going through this. . .

DH's grandmother has very advanced AD.

I think the reading up on things and knowing what to expect is going to help a lot. Its very hard - and very frustrating at times, but I think the most important thing is to just try and be patient. Its hard on everyone and you just need to be strong and supportive.

DH's grandmother, up until recently when she had to be put in a home , kept a notebook where she wrote everything down. . what she ate, what she did, who came to visit. . . FIL got her used to doing this before the AD went too far, and it helped a lot for a long time. When she wanted to know something and couldn't remember, she knew to look in her book.

If you ever want to talk or have questions, FM me

Thank you for all the advise and personal stories!! I appreciate the help!!!!
Papa has been place on Aricept and I am glad that it has worked for some people. I am praying for the best!!!!

Thanks again!!!!

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Posted by futuremrsfab

My grandfather has it too- he is on aracept (sp?) and it helps slow the disease- there is also a patch that they can wear.

If you have any other questions about coping or dealing, feel free to FM me, my grandfather was awful before drugs, but now is like his old self- well most of the time.

for you to have to go through this.

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I am so happy to hear that the drugs are helping

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Posted by DeeluvsVinny

Oh Kim, I'm sorry!

I have experience with this..my granpa had Dimentia too and it started slow, but ended up getting pretty bad. we had to put him in a nursing home and he didn't understand that.

At the beginning of his diagnosis, we took him to Vegas. It was me, my mom, aunt & him.. WE left him napping in the room and told him we'd be back in an hour. Well, when we got back..he was gone. We couldn't find him and had security looking for him. It took about 15 mins, but he was at the taxi stand asking for 5-45..which was his address..luckily the hotel didn't have a room 5-45 so they knew something was going on. It was we realized he couldn't be left alone anymore. We had to hire a home helath aide and then he moved in with us and then went to the home. He just passed away in September at 90 years old.

It's a difficult disease to deal with and hard to understand. There is no rhyme or reason to the progression. Just be strong for him and you may have to go with the confusion..agree with or he'll get upset.

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Thank you for that story.. He has had smaller issues like this.. not sure of where he was going or what he was doing.

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Posted by MrsHtobe

Kim,

I'm sorry to hear you are going through this. . .



DH's grandmother, up until recently when she had to be put in a home , kept a notebook where she wrote everything down. . what she ate, what she did, who came to visit. . . FIL got her used to doing this before the AD went too far, and it helped a lot for a long time. When she wanted to know something and couldn't remember, she knew to look in her book.

If you ever want to talk or have questions, FM me

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I am going to mention this to my grandma, it might help!!! Thanks for your support.

I'm really sorry to hear that, Kim. My DH's grandmother who just passed away had dementia and the early stages of Alzheimers. My friend's father also had it, and I remember how difficult it was for her and her mother taking care of him. We were always together when we were younger so I was always at the house. Her mother had a nurse that used to come in and help take care of him, but it was still difficult.

Like everyone said there are varying degress that differ from person to person. Throughout the entire time, my friend's father remembered everyone! My DH's grandmother most times wouldn't remember, or she would and then in the next moment wouldn't. A lot of times they go back in time and keep talking about someone who has been gone for a long time. Whoever his primary caretaker is will need support at some point, depending on how progressed his condition becomes. I also have an aunt who is in the early stages...she is very forgetful and confused. It is very heartbreaking. My friend used to do the marathon so I still get their newsletter from when I sponsored her. Maybe you should go on their mailing list. Here's the link to their website: http://www.alz.org/index.asp

My Nonna had alzheimer's. My first suggestion is to basically start NOW and make the home safe. Don't leave anything poisonous in a place where they may be able to get to it. Maybe put some kind of combination lock on the door. We put a chain lock on the door and she wasnt able to open it so that was good. It may sound extreme but you never know what they will think from one moment to the next so you want to be safe.

Also, spend as much time with him as possible now - write down any stories that he tells over and over again that used to make you roll your eyes, ask him to help you start a family tree.

Not only will these things be preserved for future generations but then you can talk to him later on about them and bring him back to a 'happy place' when he gets agitated. Also you will understand 'where' he is when he goes away into his own little world.

Also, please ask your parents to go in for some early testing. It can be genetic ( all of my Nonna's brothers and sisters ended up with it ) so if you catch it early, the medications help!

for you , no one should have to experience this!

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Posted by ant n tilde

My Nonna had alzheimer's. My first suggestion is to basically start NOW and make the home safe. Don't leave anything poisonous in a place where they may be able to get to it. Maybe put some kind of combination lock on the door. We put a chain lock on the door and she wasnt able to open it so that was good. It may sound extreme but you never know what they will think from one moment to the next so you want to be safe.

Also, spend as much time with him as possible now - write down any stories that he tells over and over again that used to make you roll your eyes, ask him to help you start a family tree.

Not only will these things be preserved for future generations but then you can talk to him later on about them and bring him back to a 'happy place' when he gets agitated. Also you will understand 'where' he is when he goes away into his own little world.

Also, please ask your parents to go in for some early testing. It can be genetic ( all of my Nonna's brothers and sisters ended up with it ) so if you catch it early, the medications help!

for you , no one should have to experience this!

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Very good advice, Tilde! My friend's father just walked out of the house quite a few times. Luckily, he never got further than the corner. Nice advice about the stories.

Kim I don't have personal experience with AD but I'll be keeping your papa in my prayers and sending you lots of hugs

I dont know much about this disease but your Grandfather and you will be in my 'ers.