Louis Theroux...

[ummmm]

On Dementia...

It's heart breaking.

Many of you know that my Nan has dementia. How do people cope? How hurt do you get when someone you've loved so much, all your life, looks at you like a stranger?

[murraymints]

fil on a cocktail including Aricept and quetiapine....don't know if they had much of an effect though...

[DTCwordfan]

my mother is on the latter and it has slowed down the memory loss, thought the sequencing of tasks has continued to worsen.

humour is a very necessary element of keeping carer sanity, gness......nothing to feel embarrassed about there.

[murraymints]

dt...how true....I still have a quiet chuckle to myself at some of the things he said/did....

[RATTER15]

As most of you know I work in a Severe Dementia unit, I also live with Carakeel and her Mother who is 95 and also has Dementia. It can be hard, it can be very hard! My work is however the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. I laugh with my ladies and cry with them every day!

[RATTER15]

<<<<humour is a very necessary element of keeping carer sanity, gness......nothing to feel embarrassed about there. >>>>

Soo true!!

[sunny-dave]

I have never worked anywhere with more laughter (and occasionally tears) than my local Alzheimer's Day Care Centre ...

[RATTER15]

I agree with Sunny-Dave totally, We have a ball with our ladies and gentleman, in general they are a very happy lot, I also appreciate that this is not always the case, this disease can also be very distressing, especially in the earlier stages where the victim is aware of what is happening. We have a good arsenal of medication these days that will often just relieve the anxiety the agitation and distress and allow them to live a happy care free life.

[gness]

Luckily I have a brother who is fantastic, shared the care at home, and has my sort of humour. Having someone to share the ups and downs with was so important.

[DaisyNonna]

My father had dementia. Managed to get him to a clinic, with difficulty. Consultant in charge said, yes it was dementia, bring him back in six months. My father was dead by then.

[gness]

Ratter. You`re so right about the early days. Trying to help then made her even more aggressive towards me but as she had always adored my brother I did everything through him and she was fine with that. The last few months before we got her into care were awful. Can`t think how we managed now.
She has been in a lovely home since August. The staff are great and she is well cared for. She happily thinks she is somewhere nice for a few days before going home.
We had good care from the G.P. and Clinic. I`m sorry you didn`t have the same Daisy.

[ummmm]

NoM (and others) I don't know what drugs she on. My Mum and 'mainly' my Aunt deal with all that. I get the good bits....

It's sad when I take her to see grandad and she thinks he's her Dad. My Nan, and her twin brother, never knew their Dad. He was gone before they were 2 and she doesn't know if he died or abandoned them, because her Mother refused to talk about him. She's never even seen a photo of him.

Nan and Jack were the youngest of 8. Her elder sister died at 23 of TB....her two brothers also died of TB related illnesses but not until their 40's, early 50's.

All my Nan knows about her Dad was what the priest told her....and that was that he was an extremely talented carpenter.

This is 1930's Belfast.

Maybe I should do our family tree....she has a very posh NI accent.