How can I find in-home care for my elderly mother with dementia?

---

My mom has dementia and she needs someone to sit with her, remind her to take medications, and look after her. She lives in Mississippi. Where do I start looking and how can I get the lowest price?
We had to do that for my g randmother. Look in the Yellow pages for home health care. Make sure you check on their credentials and get references as well.  (+ info)

Should a feeding tube be used for someone in advanced stages of dementia?

---

I have a loved one in advanced stages of dementia who is unable to feed herself or swallow well. My family has been talking about the possibility of a feeding tube. On one hand, we don't want her to suffer the pain of starvation. On the other, it would be hard to watch her just laying there in bed with no quality of life, utter boredom, and continued pain that she may or may not be able to express. Is there any additional information out there that would help us come to a decision?
well without a feeding tube you will starve and your body begins to break down with sores and very painful,I would go with a tube if she has no other problems right now,if she had breathing problems and server pain or blockages where the doctor would have to give her Morphine than I would say no tube,because the Morphine would send her in to cardiac arrest and she would pass a lot quicker.  (+ info)

What are the main differences between Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

---

A member of my family has been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia so the more detail someone can give me, the better. Many thanks.
Vascular dementia is caused by narrowing arteries cutting off oxygen supply to the brain cells - proper medication can really help/even improve mental function IF brain cells haven't been impaired by a stroke. No one yet knows what causes Alzheimer's, but there are connections to the brain not being able to rid itself of waste materials the same way "normal" brains do and that's what many of the meds work on. An Alzheimer's diagnosis is more discouraging because the medications are still all pretty new/experimental and only slow down the progress of the disease, at best. Chances are, with Vascular Dementia, if your family member is able to exercise a little, gets really good nutrition and treatments that clear out arteries, there's a chance for a better quality of life than with Alzheimer's. Good for you for caring enough to search out answers!  (+ info)

What is it like to die of pneumonia in an 94 yr old dementia patient ?

---

My dad is in dementia and lives far away and he has pneumonia and they have him in the hospital. I know a lot of times frail people like him die and I expect that, but what is it like to die from pneumonia, ? Is it painful ??? do they keep them sedated ?? What is it like ? He has smoked for 80 years and I really don't see him coming home, but since I can't be there because I am sick, chronic, what is death to pneumonia like in elderly frail people. ?
Don't worry. They'll keep him comfortable and sedated. He won't suffer. My Mom was at the point where she needed a respirator to breathe and she had made it clear that she did not want to live that way. We had them remove it, but first asked the doctors straight up if this was going to cause her a lot of distress. They said no and assured us that she was heavily sedated and wouldn't suffer. We were there when they removed her from the respirator and it was just like she was going to sleep.

I'm sorry about your Dad, but rest assured the doctors have the means and will do everything possible to keep him comfortable. Best of luck to you.  (+ info)

How many Dementia Beds are there in UK Nursing homes?

---

My boss has asked me to find out how many registered nursing home beds there are in UK and also how many registered dementia beds there are in nursing homes in the UK. As a company, we need to work out our market share of these. Can anyone help me find this information?
Heres an article (but its from 2007) that states a few statistics about dementia beds in the UK. I dont know anything about this though, I just googled it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7113112.stm  (+ info)

What is a good book or resource to help my mother deal with her elderly mother who shows signs of dementia?

---

My Mother is struggling to cope with her elderly mother, who lives out of state and shows many signs of dementia. (Not Alzheimer's, but loss of cognitive function and extreme anger & social problems, to put it simply). If anyone can suggest resources for communication or techniques that could help my Mother, I would be very grateful. Thank you.
From a SEARCH on Google, I found the following sites which I hope may be of some help to your mother and you:
Your local book store clerk should also be able to help find a book on the shelves.

Dementia Care
Research & Locate a Variety of
Senior Housing Options.
www.SeniorOutlook.com

Dementia Residential Care
Healthy Alternative To The Nursing
Home. Reliable Service. Contact Us!
www.CrotchedMountain.org

Caregiving Resources
Free guide to support seniors
and their families with caregiving
www.aarp.org/foundation

Dementia
Learn About Dementia Symptoms
Treatment & Prevention at AOL® Body
Body.AOL.com

Aging
Alzheimer's care, assisted living &
skilled nursing in a caring setting
www.FirstCommunityVillage.org
Ohio

Dementia
All About Dementia.
Causes, Symptoms, Treatments.
TheHealthyBook.info

Assistance For Seniors
Find Benefit Programs to Assist
Seniors with Low Income.
www.BenefitsCheckUp.org

Dementia vs. Depression
Get Health and Medical Information
Depression Facts and More
Health.com

More Sponsored Links »

Sponsored LinksDementia Symptoms & AD.

www.aricept.com Could It Be Alzheimer's Disease? Diagnosis Info. Treatment May Help.
Dementia Information

www.Namenda.com Find Useful Symptom and Treatment Info About Dementia & Alzheimer's.
Dementia & Alzheimer Care

www.aplaceformom.com Find Expert Dementia or Alzheimer's Care Near You or Anywhere in US.
Scholarly articles for Dealing with dementia in the elderly

The Association Between Quantitative Measures of ... - BLESSED - Cited by 1428
The relationship between dementia and elder abuse - Coyne - Cited by 124
Practice parameter: Early detection of dementia: Mild ... - Petersen - Cited by 700

Dealing with Dementia: Help for relatives, caregivers and friendsDealing with Dementia Glenn Brynes, MD, PhD. Baltimore, Maryland .... Depression in the elderly. This is a fact sheet from the National Alliance for the ...
www.ncpamd.com/dementia.htm - 34k - Cached - Similar pages

Dealing with dementiaDealing with dementia. Interview with Dr. John Copeland. "Memory loss, considered normal among the elderly, is actually a disease that needs to be treated," ...
www.hindu.com/thehindu/fline/fl1619/16190770.htm - 18k - Cached - Similar pages

Ask an Expert - Elderly Behavior: Dealing With Dementia HallucinationsJul 1, 2006 ... Elderly Behavior: Dealing With Dementia Hallucinations. Q. I am a caregiver for a terminally ill family member with cancer. ...
www.caregivershome.com/community/askexpert_full.cfm?UID=76 - 19k - Cached - Similar pages  (+ info)

How do I get my mother in a psychiatric/dementia facility?

---

My mother has a looooooong history of severe depression, anxiety and now she suffers from significant dementia. We had not talked for years, but after she took a fall five months ago, I brought her to my home to live. (a moment of temporary insanity, I assure you) I thought a positive environment and proper medications she would be okay. She has turned my life upside down and my once happy home life is miserable. My husband has been a saint about this, but he doesn't deserve it.
She only has Social Security Income and I have an appointment to apply for medicaid. (I am new at all of this). She is as healthy as a horse other than the fact that she is a *@%# NUT. I do not want her here, I want her out! I know this sounds cold, but I have no affection for my mother. How do I get rid of her? Thanks for your answers
Bless you for trying to take care of her. You say you have no affection for her, but you obviously do feel an obligation to her or you would not have brought her into your home. Taking care of someone with dementia is extremely difficult, but please remember, she didn't ask for this and cannot control her behavior.

Sounds like the best place for your mother is a nursing home. There are homes that do take people with only medicaid and will accept her if her medicaid is pending. You can get referrals from her physician or you can start making phone calls on your own. All nursing homes have an admissions department to help with the specifics. Just call them and tell them your situation and that you can no longer take care of your mother at home. They know what to do and will get the ball rolling for you.

It's difficult for an outsider to tell if a nursing home is good or not, but I would suggest visiting ones that you are interested in. Is it clean? Relatively odor free? Are the staff friendly? Do the residents seem to be well cared for? How does the staff treat you? Do they seem genuinely caring and compassionate and interested in helping? How long has their medical director been with them? How long have their key staff members been with them?

One of the biggest mistakes I've seen people make is thinking that just because a facility is new and modern, that the resident's get good care. But caring for the elderly and those with Alzheimer's or other dementias takes more than just a modern facility. It's the people working there who make a difference.

So please, start looking for a place for your mother ASAP. There are professionals out there trained to handle people with your mother's problems, so please realize you are not alone. I am a registered nurse who has worked in the same nursing home for almost 11 years now and would be happy to answer any questions you may have if you would like to e-mail me. Good luck to you and God bless!  (+ info)

How to I get evidence that my mother is abusing my father who has severe dementia?

---

My mother is severely emotionally abusing my father who has severe dementia and, therefore, cannot speak for himself. Also neglecting him, i.e. hygiene, medicine and other general necessities in life. I already spoke with Adult Protective Services and an attorney but have gotten nowhere yet. Have to get a lot of evidence, but how? Heard audio taping in their house is illegal. Has anyone been though this before? Please help. I need to get my Dad out of there and into a nursing home which i don't want him in but i see no other option.
Audio taping there house is illegal which means it cannot be used as evidence in court but it will give the police and APC reason to beleive abuse which they will then send a warrant and investigate.So do the audio or video taping ,you only need to give the police or APC reason to get involved not solve the whole thing yourself.

And if everything fails do what i did my cousin ex-boyfriend when he hit her drag his azz outtside and beat the shid out of him.Good Luck you will figure this out and be fine.  (+ info)

Can anyone advise me on caring for a parent with dementia?

---

I am trying to care for my mother. She is in early stages of dementia, and becoming fairly difficult. The doctor, the counselor, and all my family members want me to put her in the nursing home. It tears my heart out to do this. I want to keep her home, but my family think I am crazy. Any input would be appreciated.
Can I tell you the honest truth?? I took care of my grandmother for almost a year. I was with her from the day she got diagnosed to the day we had to take her to the nursing home. She was MISERABLE at home! She had to be controlled and she was startin to lose her undestanding of things but was still sane enough to know she was being controlled and she was also aware that she was losing grip with reality. This really bothered her. It got to a point where we had to watch hr 24 hrs a day. I would go in the morning my sister in the after noon my dad for 1/2 the night and my mom the other half. You cannot let this control YOUR life! My grandmother is happier than ever now that she is in a nursing home (make sure they have an alzheimers unit) she has her room and can walk around and watch tv and do activities! I visit her every weekend and now she no longer recognizes me. BUT I STILL RECOGNIZE HER!
Please I know this is hard for you!! But it is the best for you and your mother that she be in good care before this consumes your life like it did my family's life!
God Bless you and all of luck!  (+ info)

Are they using the terms dementia and Alzheimers interchangeably these days?

---

When I studied 20 years ago, Alzheimers was a brain disease which was one cause of dementia and could have an early onset. Now the terms seem to be synonyms. Please answer only if you are a professional and work in health care.
Sharon,

They might be used as synonyms by some, but that is not accurate. They are different.

Short answer - dementia is a cluster of symptoms. Alzheimers is a disease. ( which may show some of the cluster of dementia symptoms.)

Dementia is a word for a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain. It is not a specific disease. People with dementia may not be able to think well enough to do normal activities, such as getting dressed or eating. They may lose their ability to solve problems or control their emotions. Their personalities may change. They may become agitated or see things that are not there.

Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia. However, memory loss by itself does not mean you have dementia. People with dementia have serious problems with two or more brain functions, such as memory and language.

Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities.

AD begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. Over time, symptoms get worse. People may not recognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care. This can cause great stress for family members who must care for them.  (+ info)

---

---

• Home
• Our method
• Usage examples
• Index

• Statistics
• Contact

---