Dementia is an evil thing

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

My Aunt has it and has it hard. It's a horrific thing

 

[Psymonds]

My Aunt has it and has it hard. It's a horrific thing

It's rough. you lose a relative twice, first, slowly over years and second when they finally pass. Have relative moving to memory care this month, Grandpa passed almost 10 years ago after 5 years with dementia.

Whomever is providing the direct support needs the most help from the rest of the family. If it's your Aunt's spouse or someone else, its tough.

 

[lanejudy]

It is such a challenging condition — to both the individual (in the early stages anyway) and for the family. The primary caregiver needs all the support you can offer, whatever little bit that may be, even just an hour so they can get out (or take a nap).

 

[WEDWDW]

All I can say is if Dementia has never come to you family's door,please cherish each and every day.

For if it ever does come,you and your family will never ever ever be the same people you were before.

 

[pwdebbie]

My husband was diagnosed in 2017, passed in 2024 (from heart issues, he wasn't quite to the point of needing Memory Care yet). So, yes, dementia stinks in many ways. I was relieved when he passed. I didn't really experience grief until two and half months later when I took myself on a solo trip WDW. The floodgates opened when the the fireworks went off during the day at the castle. My husband and I had a well-timed picture with that little burst behind us. Honestly, I look back now and realize how traumatized I was from the years of caring for him. Please step up and help your aunt's caregivers if she is not in Memory Care yet. Your heart will be broken over and over, but the folks caring for her need a break.

 

[disykat]

Tell me about it. Dad had a slow progression 17 year dementia journey. Mom had about a 6+ year journey (actually hard to tell since she was dealing with stressful Dad stuff) with three of those years overlapping. It was 20 years of our lives. It's been a year now since Mom's been gone, Dad's been gone 4, and I'm still shell shocked.

This thread is really well timed. I had a hard day today and was just talking with my DH about how I'm still struggling at times even at a year out. I think it's because I was just doing the last tax forms for their estate. I skipped church and choir practice tonight because they were church musicians, as am I, and it's just really hard to remember them sometimes.

 

[disykat]

My husband was diagnosed in 2017, passed in 2024 (from heart issues, he wasn't quite to the point of needing Memory Care yet). So, yes, dementia stinks in many ways. I was relieved when he passed. I didn't really experience grief until two and half months later when I took myself on a solo trip WDW. The floodgates opened when the the fireworks went off during the day at the castle. My husband and I had a well-timed picture with that little burst behind us. Honestly, I look back now and realize how traumatized I was from the years of caring for him. Please step up and help your aunt's caregivers if she is not in Memory Care yet. Your heart will be broken over and over, but the folks caring for her need a break.

((pwdebbie) The grief starts when the dementia does and stays with us in the memories because they change so drastically. The loss comes early.

 

[China Expat]

It's awful. Cared for my mother and wept every night to see how diminshed she was becoming. Thankfully she passed only a month after I put her in a care home. She was completely lost and regressed in the home.