Dementia Ad

[jennyjoan]

What do you think of it - I think it very sad and very true - we are all caught up in our lives and we just need to give it just one more second to think about it. It has made me think more particularly as I currently have 3 friends with it and to be honest I can't seem to handle it very well.

When they repeat and repeat I just don't know what to say. Do find if I am in company of 3 people it seems to be easier. x

[jennyjoan]

I didn't realise this ad was only being shown in NI so I have you-tubed it.

Sista rang me there to tell me that friend who has early signs of dementia fell last night and cut her head- son brought her over to hospital and she got a few stitches. However she was crying to sista about being so lonely etc. I have told sista that I could have friend up no problem but we both know she wants to drink. I cannot take that responsibility as I am terrified of her falling again and again. Believe me I am at my wit's end typing this cos as I said her own sisters and nieces and nephews don't want to know- also I believe that other sister who buried her husband last week broke her arm this week too. My sista is insisting that no matter what she wants to do she still wants to get out and about and have a drink and that. The last two times in the last two years were tremendous for me - I had to hold her up as she was falling and falling down down. She has epilepsy I'll never forget it. I said to her one time you know you can't drink any more "why not" - she said - cos you just can't do it anymore - you are over 70. I don't know what to do Media URL: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/dementia
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[jennyjoan]

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/dementia
Description:

[Islay]

I am sorry that you find your friends illness and difficult time so difficult to handle - perhaps you should not visit them for a while whilst you get to grips with their illness!

[Elina]

Hi Jenny, yes alcohol is a definate no no you're right. They of course don't understand why they rink, and if you tell them once, you need to tell them again and again and still they won't retain that.

[Elina]

Should have read ... they of course don't understand why they can't drink ...

[Elina]

Ahhh, just watched your link Jenny x

[Elina]

Jenny, I have an inlaw in respite temporary accommodation at the moment with dementia. It's so sad, she has a beautiful home, she was found on the floor after falling. This temporary accommodation she has kind of got used to, she's also got used to the routine of fixed meal times and has made friends in there. She will shortly be moved to a more permanent place, but not before she is given a chance to go back home to see if she can hack it with carers calling in, she won't hack it. It's just awful to be honest.

[Elina]

I also have a brother who had limbic Encephelitis, I said had, he's stabilised now after lengthy medication and the care of his family. But he's left permanently with short term memory loss. He's had to give up his home, his job and move back in with mum. Through the last couple of years of initially getting him diagnosed and in to hospital, seeing him in a truly awful way to present, you learn lots of ways to make his day to day existence a whole lot easier for him. He's happy, safe and in a much better place than he was two years ago.

[Elina]

Very tough emotional times though. Imagine him being told that his nephew had left for Australia years previously! He broke down, he was a very frightened man. It must have been like someone coming out of a coma and finding out so much had changed and passed that he didn't know about, how frightening is that.

[Elina]

Back to your friend and alcohol. We've been through this with my brother. He got quite cross initially when told he couldn't any more. You would not believe the amount of 'empties' found after clearing his house out. He was never ever a massive drinker Jenny, responsible and hard working. We can only think that the reason he drank was he had this terrible illness that he didn't know he had, we didn't know he had until he started displaying odd behaviour. So he was so scared he was blocking it out with alcohol. I am still totally amazed over the quantity of empties we found & that since, he hasn't touched alcohol in two years and has had no adverse reaction to that.