Comments on: http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/ Living With Alzheimer's Disease Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:09:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ruth http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2511 Ruth Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:40:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2511 I see the opposite problem so often at the hospital where people with dementia do not sleep at all, even with medication. It is often the reason they get admitted as it is so hard on their caregivers. The disease can be so different in people. I see the opposite problem so often at the hospital where people with dementia do not sleep at all, even with medication. It is often the reason they get admitted as it is so hard on their caregivers. The disease can be so different in people.

]]> By: HIS Daughter http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2510 HIS Daughter Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:44:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2510 I am praying for you at this moment. As I lie here feeling rather useless in my own bed due to side effects from meds, I cannot imagine how he must feel, nor how you feel and cope.<br/><br/>But I know that in this trial, your strength is a beautiful witness to others. <br/><br/>You have been given the grace and power to endure and HE will sustain you. <br/><br/>Americans,it seems have become so fragile that we consider suffering for Christ through trials a thing of the past.<br/><br/>We call a bad day one where we break a fingernail. Father, help us.<br/><br/>God bless you and take care of you as you do the hard things and share with us how to do them with grace.<br/><br/>Teri I am praying for you at this moment. As I lie here feeling rather useless in my own bed due to side effects from meds, I cannot imagine how he must feel, nor how you feel and cope.

But I know that in this trial, your strength is a beautiful witness to others.

You have been given the grace and power to endure and HE will sustain you.

Americans,it seems have become so fragile that we consider suffering for Christ through trials a thing of the past.

We call a bad day one where we break a fingernail. Father, help us.

God bless you and take care of you as you do the hard things and share with us how to do them with grace.

Teri

]]> By: Wendy http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2508 Wendy Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:10:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2508 Yikes! Things are getting really difficult. My heart goes out to you! Yikes! Things are getting really difficult. My heart goes out to you!

]]> By: Changes in the wind http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2507 Changes in the wind Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:36:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2507 Have you considered getting a pet? If you had a dog, he could brush it...throw the ball for it....walk it...have to go to get its shots and etc. He has such a warm heart that I am sure he would love it....just a thought but maybe more work for you. Have you considered getting a pet? If you had a dog, he could brush it…throw the ball for it….walk it…have to go to get its shots and etc. He has such a warm heart that I am sure he would love it….just a thought but maybe more work for you.

]]> By: JeanMac http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2506 JeanMac Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:03:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2506 Welcome, Pat, and thank you for very sage advice. Welcome, Pat, and thank you for very sage advice.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/2008/08/29/680/comment-page-1/#comment-2505 Anonymous Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:23:00 +0000 http://www.amountaintoohigh.com/?p=680#comment-2505 Might it help if you had something even more specific in mind, or perhaps already set out to do? For example, "Could you stack/sort/put away these socks/books/cans of soup for me?" When you are already using the touch cue for direction, then an abstract question "Don't you want to do anything?" probably isn't nearly enough. You wouldn't tell a bored child to "find something to do"--you'd hand her crayons or playdough or stickers, or enlist her aid in frosting the graham crackers. <br/>In short--visual cues; and oral may not be visual enough. "Let's go look at the roses" might work better than "Let's go for a walk," because it's more visual.<br/>And putting spoons away, or helping you fold towels, or taking the lid off something for you--might that be still doable?<br/>My dad's caregiver would give him his (already opened) mail in the morning, on a TV tray after breakfast, and he would go through the dozen or so cards again, read them, and carefully put them back in their envelopes.<br/>Would he enjoy/be able to do really simple crafts? Like the colorbooks that you paint with water and the pictures come out in color? Could he polish shoes?<br/>All best wishes. My guess is that at least on some level, he does know. And that is so sad. But he also knows--at least for now--that you are there. And that must be hugely comforting to him.<br/>Pat Might it help if you had something even more specific in mind, or perhaps already set out to do? For example, “Could you stack/sort/put away these socks/books/cans of soup for me?” When you are already using the touch cue for direction, then an abstract question “Don’t you want to do anything?” probably isn’t nearly enough. You wouldn’t tell a bored child to “find something to do”–you’d hand her crayons or playdough or stickers, or enlist her aid in frosting the graham crackers.
In short–visual cues; and oral may not be visual enough. “Let’s go look at the roses” might work better than “Let’s go for a walk,” because it’s more visual.
And putting spoons away, or helping you fold towels, or taking the lid off something for you–might that be still doable?
My dad’s caregiver would give him his (already opened) mail in the morning, on a TV tray after breakfast, and he would go through the dozen or so cards again, read them, and carefully put them back in their envelopes.
Would he enjoy/be able to do really simple crafts? Like the colorbooks that you paint with water and the pictures come out in color? Could he polish shoes?
All best wishes. My guess is that at least on some level, he does know. And that is so sad. But he also knows–at least for now–that you are there. And that must be hugely comforting to him.
Pat

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