Alzheimer's Disease Support Group
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration with declining activities of daily living and neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. An early symptom is memory loss (amnesia), usually manifesting as minor forgetfulness that becomes pronounced with illness progression, with relative...
My daughter and her boyfriend are building us a new, bigger chicken coop. For some reason this is upsetting my husband. He wants to know what 'those people' are doing in 'his' back yard. My daughter lives with us so he sees her everyday. When I ask him if he he knows whose out there he says, "yes, it's Alannah" He is just going nuts, the words that he is saying are articulate but they make no sense. I'm having a hard time trying to explain it. He keeps asking me, "Why would you do that?" I ask him what it is and he says he doesn't know, just keeps asking me why I do this. Then he asks me when he is going to get out of here. He is extremely aggitated but not loud or insulting. He is even asking me if he is in danger of getting killed! He has not been alone at all today, I have been beside all day. I just don't even know what to sy or do. I have brought him in he house and we are sitting quietly in the living room, I am trying to distract him, but I just know what to do. He just asked me, "whose going to take my place?" I really have no idea what is going on.
I had a contractor in this week to fix the ceiling by the front door. It was noisy and dusty. Ron was very upset. I finally took him for a long car ride. Thankfully, they guy was about done when we got home. Ron couldn't even tell me why or what was so upsetting. Maybe it was the noise.
Being unable to figure out what is wrong.. what to do or say is very hard.
Judy..... strange man in his house, doing what he used to be able to do? Maybe?
If only we could see into their psychys (sp?)
Last night Mother was very agitated and couldn't settle down to get into bed. She kept worring about her dog which is a 13 year old Schi Tzu. He's as lively as they come with not one aging problem except sleeping a little more than he used to. She was so afraid of his dying she didn't know what to do. She kept telling me I had to be kind and gentle to him now that he's getting older. At one point, she was close to tears as she watched him trying to go to sleep in his bed. She kept repeating, "I don't know what to do. I don't what to do" I waited for him to look up and say, "First of all...let me go to sleep!!!!"
It took me until I got in bed myself to realize that she was most probably talking about herself. I'm not sure, but I do think she's beginning to relate her feelings through him. Actually, I know she is.
I think the pets give them a purpose that we can't understand.
By the way, I think our puppy has actually been a lifesaver for me as well. When he is angry at me for whatever reason, she covers me with puppy kisses and makes me smile.
What a wonderful website this is to be able to share our thoughts, feelings, helpful hints, etc. It helps me to feel less guilty when I get angry at him and say things out of anger......I guess I am only human....
It is impossible to argue with them. It is a no win kind of argument.
They won't remember what you said in 2 minutes and you can't change their mind anyway.
Try to laugh if off with a flip remark... " Oh really" " Do you think so"..and remove yourself from the situation.
Take the adorable puppy for a walk and enjoy the outside world.
Good Luck !