Hi. This is probably the first time I have ever posted on any message board. My mom just turned 60 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about 1 year ago. I cried for days. Devastated and heartbroken. I am in my 30s and although I have many friends, I do not have a family of my own so my parents are still my focus. I have so many questions: Do we use the taboo "A" word and let her know her diagnosis? Or will that bring on too much depression? She has been taking Aricept for 1 year and was recently placed on Namenda, which is causing some dizziness. Will she live in pain? Will she remember the English language in the later stages since English is her second language? How can we place her in a nursing home if she doesn't speak Enlgish later on? Will she be physically aggressive? When will she not know that she has a problem? Because she knows something is wrong right now. HELP

My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers at the age of 65. She is now 81. Due to her incredibly good physicalhealth, the alzheimers, along with aricept and exelon, she was able to continue to live in her own home until just 5 years ago. However,she is now in a "memory care" unit of an assisted living facility. We did talk with mom about her diagnosis early on, and it did depress her and made her angry. But she also knew and recognized her inabilities with continuing to do her own tasks, so my sister and I took over bill paying, cleaning, any record keeping required, and attened all doctor appointments with her. She did go through a phase of physical combativeness but I think it was more out of frustration at losing her independence than any actual agressive tendency to harm. It has just been in the last year or so that we see she is losing the ability to create some words she wants to use, and use them properly. Also, she can't assimilate the proper word with the proper item, such as "get a kleenex" she cannot identify a kleenex box. But since her diagnosis was so long ago, and her rate of decline has been so slow, we, and her caregivers, believe that although she is clearly a victim of dementia, possibly the term alzheimers is not quite correct. But with your mom, be patient, and let her talk about the disease only if she wants, do not force her to talk about it. Read everything you can about the disease, and find support in your family and friends. Take care of yourself too. It has been a very long 16 years, and we have a long way to go. Also, read the book titled "the 36 hour day". It is very good.

Thanks so much!
That gave me hope.
The doctor did give me that book once she was diagnosed, but I realized at first that reading it made me feel worse because I guess it showed what I have to "look forward" to.
Got so angry I think I may have even thrown it away.
Thanks for your support

Hello and welcome,
Please call your local Alz assn for assistance and support. They have alot of great people there to assist you and your Mom!

Good Luck

Peace and Hope,