Watching our loved one age is not easy-especially while theyre' suffering with a disease! Be strong-you are still there by his side even if he may not realize it and so keep it to heart that his sole will always remember you're there!

I have read with great interest the postings on this site. It helps enormously to know there are others going through this extremely difficult time - not that I would wish this on anyone. I find that unless others have not experienced the world around an Alzheimer's patient, they have absolutely no idea what living with this disease is like. My biggest dilemma currently is dealing with my mothers inability to understand why she can't live at home any longer. All she wants is to remain at home, a home that in her mind is the center of her world. Realistically however, when she is home is is socially isolated and remains in bed until noon and never changes into day time clothes. She just watches TV and is very negative about all aspects of her life. I love my mum very much and it is breaking my heart to see her deteriorate. The fallout of our moving her to an independent retirement home was huge. She is so angry with us, but she does not comprehend the level of care she requires. On the financial side, yes, the expense of extended are is not affordable for the average retiree. To help finance the retirement home, we are considering rental my mothers home. Together with her pension, it will just cover the cost. This leaves no additional money for extras. Certainly the government needs to step in as this disease affects more people as the baby boomers age. The guilt is killing me, I feel I have let my mother down. Although I have done absolutely everything to keep my mother at home for the last 5 years - and paid the price, since it affected my relationship with other family members, work and compromised my own heath and emotional state.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to place parents in a home or assisted living. It has been 10 years since the initial inception of Alzheimer's for my mom. She is able to still live at home with stepfather, but he is not responsible for her care. I am able to have her home with the necessary aids (chair lifts and handicap bath/shower). My mom is able to go to the day program 5 days a week still and I have 3 home health aides one for the week to do her personal care and 2 who alternate on the weekend and I have a back up person and myself when needed. It is tough to watch my mom decline especially when we were so close....

Ever day is different...no one size fits all solution...best choices one day at a time...

Trying to accept that I often feel "mad, angry, happy, sad"...

My mom is in a nursing home, she begs me everyday to bring her home, or get her another apartment. She wants out of there.

She cannot function alone, and social services placed her in the home 1 year ago. She hasn't changed anything, she still thinks people are stealing her stuff, trying to deceive her and trying to poison her,so sometimes she won't eat her meals.

I know she is in the right place, though it breaks my heart. I am an only child and the guilt is overwhelming.
Recently I ended up in the hospital, from not taking good care of me, I got pneumonia and almost died. Now I feel I have a second chance at life and have not been able to visit my mom for 7 weeks now,5 weeks in the hospital and 3 weeks at home with Atrophy.
This has made me think about how often I was visiting my mom and how much of my energy I was devoting to her, almost all. I had no life, I simply went to work, went to see mom after work and when I got home, I was so tired I barely ate and just went to bed.
I miss her terribly but am reconsidering how often I should visit her.I think twice a week will be enough.

We are all doing what we can for our parents and should give ourselves credit for this and try not to feel so guilty.
Hugs to you all, an bless you All,
Jazz