Mom's been on hospice for 4 years final stages of Alzheimer's. Docs said 3-6 months 4 years ago. Help!
99150
I know that you are dealin with alot right now. I took care of patients with Alzheimer's and it not an easy task. If you would like to talk my e-mail is kantpurple@yahoo.com
530913
I'm so sorry you've lost someone important to you.  I've been there before myself.  Tomorrow will be the first anniversary of my mother's death in a hospice.  She suffered so much before she died that it tore my heart out, but she's with her Lord and Saviour now, and happy at last.  Time will improve things for you.  It's the only thing that helped me.  Try to do things you enjoy to distract yourself from the pain.  Even that can take a great effort, but you have to keep trying. If you do, I promise you that things will get better as time moves on.  May God Bless You!
1072730
I am so sorry about your grandfather. It is impossible for anyone to give you an exact amount of time he has left. However, if he is being cared for by a hospice agency, then his doctor has determined that he has less than 6 months (give or take - you just never know)\nSome signs of impending death are:\nDecreased eating/drinking\nA decrease in urine output\nExtremities become cool and dark\nirregular breathing pattern\na collection of secretions in the mouth/throat - so that it "rattles"when they breath\nI am sorry I can't give you more specific information - no one can.\nI wish you the best.
992110
I hope you are ready to hear this, but she may be getting ready to die. Have you looked into nursing homes? When it gets to be too much for you to handle, you might want to look into hospice care, they help the patient and the family for the inevitable. But when a person stops eating, they have given up and are preparing to die. When looking at nursing homes, don't get freaked out by the price, because they usually don't stay too long. I'm going through this with my dad right now, actually he wants to go because he knows its getting too hard for mom to take care of him. Best wishes.
1118581
Thats a really tough situation. I worked at a assisted living. Obviously alot of elders are expierencing Alzheimers. If they are living on their own invest in the necklace like MedAlert.  What the person under me is talking about is med alert.
1076590
Please do not lose it and please be patient w/ grandma, remember we all will get old one day.  Now it seems as if she is aware enough for you to get her to have a DNR drafted as well as give you durable POA.  I suggest you contact your local law school and see if they have a legal clinic that handles these kinds of matters, based on your grandmother's income they may be able to help you and do it free of charge.  I would also advise call Adult Protective Services to ask about any programs they have for the care of older citizens.  And finally, check to make sure grandma is taking her meds properly, sometimes when they are not taking them properly this effects their mental abilities.  Next doctors appointment go in with her and discuss any issues w/ him/her regarding grandma.  Also review www.webmd.com to review the medications she is on.
959312
First of all...God Bless your mother!  I commend her for what she is doing for your Grandmother!  We went through this same thing with my Grandma a few years back.  What we found what the best answer for us...and the least costly was...we hired a lady to live with and care for Grandma.  Most of her pay was room and board...paid her a small weekly wage, and she stayed 24/7 and only taking off 1 afternoon a week and every other weekend.  Then, we called an in home health nursing facility to come in daily for medication, bathing, anything the live in was not qualified to do.  The live in was responsible for meals, house cleaning, companionship, making sure her bed was clean.  (My Grandma was bedridden for the last 8 months she was alive)...this live in companion/caregiver enabled her to stay in her own home until she passed.  We found the live-in by running an ad in the newspaper. Please feel free to send me an email and I will go into more detail.  By the way..we are in Indiana.  I would be glad to help you research and answer any questions I can.  This is a very tough situation for everyone involved.....My Prayers and thoughts will be with you!
533798
I understand how you feel. My father also had Alzheimer's. It is more difficult on you than it is on him. Don't think of your father as he is now, but remember the good times.\n\nTake time and visit with your dad when you can. If he says things that are hurtful, it is the disease talking, not your dad.\n\nThink positive, life on earth is just a very short time. God has bigger and better plans for us in heaven.
505980
Spend time with her, help her with life's small stuff, and help her be calm while you wait for the outcome. We are handling my father's lung cancer. He won't let on, but he is scared. So, we, his 5 kids, + my mom spend as much time being around him "talking about regular stuff" in between all of the doctor's appointments, etc.  It helps to make him feel needed- not like we're babysitting him. So, my sisters and I ask him random "gardening questions" and other things that he likes to do. It helps take his mind off of the constant waiting for test results and next therapies. Be a good kid, no matter how old you are. Our dad is 75, so we're not teeny boppers any more, either. It's nice to have a parent feel like a good parent, regardless of age.\n(www.TheDorkyMom.com)
220133
You need better phrasing. Are you trying to do a presentation on the caregiver's quality of life? Or are you talking about the patient's quality of life.\n\nIf you are talking about the former, then try researching hospice caregiver's payscales and divorce rates, and try to link their working conditions with money and marital stability.\n\nIf you wanted to study patient quality of life, then you could focus on geriatric diabetics since that's a growing trend.
1036044
Sadly, this condition is commonly refered to as "Dementia" and clinicians have identified various stages an alzheimers patient goes through progressively as signs and symptoms of neurological decline advance.\nI have dealt with and cared for someone with Alzheimers in my personal life and in addition to some wonderful support groups, there are oppurtunities for you to "resbit" with them.\nBest Regards now and Always.
343015
Very little is known at this point as to what causes Alzheimers.  Family history is a known risk factor.  Cheese consumption is not.
266248
i am 37 and they told my mom she now has about 8 weeks to go. there are no words anyone can tell either of us. you are not being selfish for wanting your mother to stay alive. our moms no we need and want them. and this, from what my mom says is the hardest thing she has ever had to do in her life. she looks at my kids and my brothers and i. she can't help crying. she knows we are deeply saddened and there is nothing she can do. she was dealt this hand and she is fighting this cancer with all that she has. my heart goes out to you and your family. i cry everyday. at moments i will be numb and i am ok but it only takes one word from someone and tears will come down and i can't stop them. we are to young in our lives to loose our moms. i can't even imagine all the really young people that have gone through this. i do not know about you but if one more person tells me she is going to be going to a better place i will loose it on them. it is not that i do not believe in god i do. but her better place for now is here with her kids and her grandkids. i also have children. and my mom lives down the street from me. they go there everyday for a snack and to see grandma. and like you life without her seems impossible. she will not see my 40th birthday or my kids have their kids. there will be no more mothers days that i can pick her up and take her to lunch. no more she drives me crazy because she is just being a mom. i am sure you can relate to all this. i can't shut it down in my head. the thoughts won't go away. it hurts to bad. i do not know who you are but i will pray for your mother. you have my deepest sympothy. if you ever need to write my e-mail is momof4angelsaz@yahoo.com. who knows maybe we can be a support team. please write and tell me how you and your mom are doing.god bless you and your family
1038735
Having lost family, I can suggest the following:\n\n1.  First, know the prognosis. How long is she expected to live? What can be done to improve her chances of longer life?\n2.  Know your mother's wishes. This is her life. How does she want to approach this? Is she willing to fight? Does she just want to accept this and settle her affairs and live the rest of her life in peace?\n3. See to your mother's comfort and her state of mind first. Believe me, you will have time to dwell on your own grief later. Consider this a healthy postponement of your grief.\n4.  Accept the fact that sooner or later, we lose our parents. It is a part of life and how we deal with it will be an example to our own children and grandchildren. We want them to live on and thrive, not spend their lives in heartache and sorrow.\n5.  Create more memories now! Enjoy your time together as much as possible. It is difficult to watch a loved one struggle through hard times, but being there for her, just holding her hand, showing your love will send her off with a feeling of deep satisfaction and leave you with fewer regrets.\n6.  Say what you've always wanted to say now.\n7.  Cry. Allow yourself to feel the sorrow, helplessness, even anger at this situation that we have no control over. Grieving cannot be denied. Cry it out.\n8.  But have hope. Always. Cling to the hope that there is a higher purpose for all things. Hope that the truth is we will be together again with our loved ones who have departed. This is only a short separation. They will be able to see us, visit us and whisper softly to us even though we, in our earthly bodies, will not be able to see them. We will be able to feel their presence. We will be reunited again.\nYou see, my grandmother, my father and my little boy died within one year. I can't describe the heartache. But I can describe the hope. And I have heard their whispers to me! So joyful, so hopeful, so encouraging! I feel their love. They can't wait until we are together again!\nUntil that time, please, please, spend your moments together caring, loving, laughing...then weep in dark rooms when you are alone. Have courage, my friend. And always hope.
21702
Well I'm not an expert, but I think it probably depends on the kind of cancer. my mom had bone cancer that spread to her brain, they removed the 3 tumors she had, and they didn't grow back, but new ones did form, probably because of the bone cancer. They gave her 9 months and she lived 2 years, just passed away November 8. apparently, if not for the bone cancer, she would have been fine after they removed the brain tumors.
888450
first of all i am a nurse and do private duty nursing and stayed with many cancer pts and seen how quickly that it affects the patients and their family. But no one really understands it til it affects a member of their own family. I have to agree with someone else that answered that hospice is the best and i know this first hand as on oct 2nd this year my dad found out he had lung cancer. a week later after a week of xrays and cat scans he found out the cancer had spread from his lungs to his throat and brain. with the throat cancer, he had lumps come up on his neck. for the last 5 yrs we thought dad was going thru alzheimers, but come to find out that some of the symptoms of brain cancer was forgetfulness and repeating themselves.i did alot of research on these 3 cancers, and it will tell you that lung cancer has no cure. all kemo and radiation does is try to shrink the cancer cells, but doesnt get rid of them completely.since your dad is refusing his meds, its possible that the kemo might have burned his throat like dad, dad couldnt take pills towards the end and had difficulty in swallowing. there is a product on the market that the dr can write a prescription for and also get it at walmart....its called thick it. just put a couple of teaspoons in his water or tea or soup and it will thicken it up enough where he can drink it with ease.from the time dad found out he had cancer til the time he died, he lived 52 days. like i said i know what you are going through as i have been there and experienced it first hand. dad died on thanksgiving day this year, its hard for me to talk about this sometimes, but, just maybe from what we went thru with dad will help someone else with lung, throat or brain cancer. i know for a fact that hospice will not come in until they are done with kemo or radiation.once they come in, they will get anything you need for him, such as hoist lift, hosp bed, bedside commode, shower seat, wheelchair and walker. they will be there any time you need them or just to talk. hospice is wonderful.we tried to get dads dr to put him on the morphine liquid drops and he refused and i am still furious about that. thanksgiving being a holiday, a hospice RN can override a drs orders which is what we did. we finally got him on the drops about 5 hrs before he died. hospice said it eased the transition from being in pain to leaving this world. all 3 kids were by his side when he left us. we told him we loved him and that we always had and that it was ok to go, that we would see him again.all that day he was unresponsive except for one time when he opened his eyes and looked at mom and said i love you babe. the sunday before he passed, we kids knew even as sick as he was, he still knew the love for mom and i had the pleasure of witnessing it first hand. he pulled her down and whispered in her ear and she smiled and said i love you too and then he pulled her down a second time and whispered something again, and again she smiled as tears came to her eyes as she said i have always loved you too. so my friend i hope that what i have shared with you has helped you in some ways. feel free to email me anytime you need to talk. sultrybitchnc@yahoo.com
792687
Your grandfather has Alzheimer’s and it will only get worse, there is no cure for this. My mom has it and I am taking care of her. No you are not overreacting about sharing a room with an eight-year boy. Can’t they fix the basement or attic into a room for one of you or add on a room in the back for you. Grandpa needs to be close to mom as it is very trying to care for a loved one in his condition. Your mom will need all the help she can get and if you are helpful you will stand a better chance of getting a separate room. I think there are laws about boys and girls sharing a room if the youngest is of a certain age and eight sounds plenty old enough but if you go to the authorities about it grandpa will end up in a nursing home and your family will be terribly upset with you and you will regret what you did to grandpa in the future as nursing homes give terrible to no care. If worse comes to worse maybe you can put up a divider wall in the middle of the room. I wish you and your family the best of luck.♫