Altzheimers

[N&B'smom]

I have a family member who is becoming more and more forgetful. I wondered if anyone could tell me what the early signs of Altzheimers are.

I can give you an example of something that happened. He brought me an insurance policy he had gotten in the mail with a change listed on it. He and I had a discussion about it where I explained what happened (they added a mortgagee although he doesn't have one, the house has been paid off for YEARS) I offered to call his company, which I did (while he sat next to me)....they told me they would get back to me. I told him they would call me back.

Less than 24 hours later he tells me he doesn't know what is going on with his insurance company, he pays his bills so he doesn't know why they're calling him. I suggested that perhaps instead of calling me back, they called him instead. He looked at me blankly and I reminded him that I called them for him yesterday and they said they'd call back. He then said 'oh right, what was that about again?'.

That's just one example. He forgets to eat, he'll tell you he is going to do something and not do it...he'll tell you he forgot. It's endless and we're worried.

Any ideas!?!?!?!

 

[johnsontrio]

The Alzheimer's Association has a wealth of information on their website. You will find information regarding early signs and symptoms, the stages of AD along with much, much more. They have a very supportive community on their message board. Your family member needs a thorough neuro psych evaluation. Find a geriatric department of a local reputable hospital and have this done. If your loved one has AD, early intervention will help slow the progression of the disease. There are medications available that will help preserve the function that he has now.

My DMIL has moderate stages of AD. We had signs and symptom for over a year before anyone would agree to an evaluation. She has now been officially diagnosed for 2+ years and it is an ordeal for the entire family, mostly because there are 7 children involved and they can't all seem to get to the same stage of acceptance. Good luck to you.

 

[MIGrandma]

I would definitely be getting him evaluated/tested by a doctor.

There are new medications now that can help even more with Alzheimer's.

My Dad suffered many years with Alzheimer's before he passed away.

I think it's actually harder on the family than it is the person who has it.

 

[N&B'smom]

Thank you so much. I think getting him to agree to it will be an issue. But I definitely think he needs to get checked out!

Do you happen to know what they do as far as the evaluation goes??

 

[MIGrandma]

Thank you so much. I think getting him to agree to it will be an issue. But I definitely think he needs to get checked out!

Do you happen to know what they do as far as the evaluation goes??

No, I'm sorry I can't help with that because I never went with my Mom to Dad's doctor appointments until he'd had it for several years.

 

[nancycg56]

I think my MIL had to answer a series of questions at her evaluation. I'm not sure what else was involved but she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Thank you so much. I think getting him to agree to it will be an issue. But I definitely think he needs to get checked out!

Do you happen to know what they do as far as the evaluation goes??

Does anyone go to his doctor appointments with him? If so, they can mention it to the doctor. He (your loved one) might get angry, but he'll get over it. Another thing you can do, that my mother did, is send a letter to his doctor. The doctor can't discuss things with you without your family member's permission, but he/she can read the letter and know what to look for.

 

[johnsontrio]

Thank you so much. I think getting him to agree to it will be an issue. But I definitely think he needs to get checked out!

Do you happen to know what they do as far as the evaluation goes??

If he goes to the doctor currently, just explain that he has a doctor's appt. No need to go into detail what the appt. is about. The brief cognitive test they do for patients with dementia is called the MMSE. You can google it and get all the questions that they will ask your family member. For the initial evaluation they do a much more extensive evaluation along with the MMSE. They use subsequent MMSE scores to gauge the progression of the disease. Our initail assessment took a half-day appointment. It included a complete physical, lab work, other testing (EKG, chest x-ray) and the neuro psych evaluation.

If your family member is still driving they will do an evaluation that includes reaction times and other assessments to determine if they are still competent to drive. If the examiner finds that your family member is not competent or able to drive safely they will recommend that they not be allowed to drive. They notify the State of this recommendation which in essence, suspends their license. There is a mechanism where the person can then take a test with the state to have their license reinstated if they choose to do so. DMIL is still very angry about the loss of her car but she did not have the mental capacity at that point to figure out that she had legal recourse and we of course did not tell her. We were too busy sighing with relief that she was no longer driving and no one had been injured.

Dealing with a family member with AD can be very difficult and draining. It by nature is a disease that the person will never be able to accept that they have. They become very angry as they notice that their abilities are diminishing and they don't understand what is happening to them. They lose parts of their personality gradually, like the peeling of the layers of an onion, until they are just left with what is at their core. With any luck, your family member will be one of the lucky ones that at their core is sweet, kinda and appreciative of all the good things in their life. Unfortunately for us, DMIL is one that constantly ruminates over her losses and is angry and bitter. A great resource for family members is the book The 36 Hour Day .

If you have any further questions post away.

 

[Abbie]

Thank you so much. I think getting him to agree to it will be an issue. But I definitely think he needs to get checked out!

Do you happen to know what they do as far as the evaluation goes??

You can start with his family doctor, who will administer a "mini-mental" test which is a series of about 30 questions. This will give them a rough idea of where your family member stands and what the next steps need to be.

Next up will probably be a neurologist, who can do much more extensive testing. The definitive test for Alzheimer's is an MRI. Bottom line, though, is that it doesn't really matter much if it's Alzheimer's or just a more general form of dementia. The progression is the same or similar.

I don't know how close you are to this person, but it's a really, really good idea to start getting your ducks in a row. By that I mean making sure there is both a regular power of attorney and a medical power of attorney. That way, the insurance co. (for example) can speak directly to someone other than the insured. You might want to have your name added to the bank accounts too...you might eventually need to start paying their bills.

I second the idea of checking out the Alzheimer's Association website...they have a pretty good chart that can help you get an idea of what "stage" your family member might be in.