How to cope when a family member has Alzetimers
By icollier
@icollier (89)
United States
January 2, 2011 5:12pm CST
My mother has alzetimers and she just got put into a nursing home, because she is at the stage where she needs 24 hour care. It is a hard thing for a family to see their loved ones in this condition. Has anyone else been through this or are going through this with a family member? If so, how do you cope with it?
2 responses
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
3 Jan 11
icollier, I am truly sorry to read about your mother having alzehmiers disease. I do know a great deal of coping with this as a very near and dear person to me suffered from this and I also worked with a great many patients who had this condition.
It is especially hard when dealing with this when it is someone near and dear as the old days kick in and all you think about is how well they were. The only thing you can do is be very patient. It will not be difficult but this happens to be an incurable disease right now. Although medications are prolonging the condition is is truly no cure.
But it cannot be just one person taking care and watching over the affected person as it does take a lot of work. Please take care of yourself as it will be a lot of strenuous work as well as very emotional. I wish you and your mother many blessings.
@icollier (89)
• United States
3 Jan 11
Thank you very much for your comment. It does help when you know that others understand how family feel when they are seeing a loved one waste away. My mother is very healthy other then having alzehmiers. It must be hard for her being so healthy yet losing her memory. I know it is hard for the family to see this. But I do agree we need to be patient with her and understanding what she is going through. God Bless,
@vegegirl (828)
• Australia
6 Aug 11
Yes, I have seen this happen to a loved one and it is very painful, but there was very little choice. His wife was getting around 30 minutes sleep a day, and was a real mess, so couldn't really take care of things properly herself anymore. Everyone else tried to help as well but it is hard to have help for 24 hours a day for a very long period when most people have to work, or live somewhere else.
He has moved to a home quite close to their residence and his wife visits him once or twice a day, but he is kept safe for 24 hours a day. It would still be nicer staying at home - because this is more social, but foten it just isn't safe enough.
It is dangerous for the alzheimer's person to be left wandering around the house by themselves as they could accidentally drink something that is poisonous, or burn themself on the stove etc. I have heard of a man who used to be an electritican who got alzheimers. He used to get up in the night and re-wire the house. His son, who was an electrician used to have to come over all the time and fix it up. Eventually this man was put into a home where they have 24 hour care.
In Australia there is a move to keep people at home longer so there is now more government support for people caring for patients at home, I don't know how much support is available and how much this enables people to keep alzheimer's patients at home longer, but it sounds like it could help.
