anyone want to chat?
meeska

My mother has had this insideous disease for about 5 years now. I live far away and can only see her 1-2 times per year. I used to talk to her every day.....now its once a week through my sisters. Having a really hard time dealing with this. She is 83. What is your story?

Hey guys, this area, "Chat Guide", doesn't get much traffic. Chatting isn't strong right now. Heck, I haven't figured out how to use it yet, myself!!

E.g. "One of Five," the "Caretakers" forum would love to talk about your concern with you. Just re-post there. And, any relation to "Seven of Nine"?

My husband a retired 58 yr. old physician has has EOAD for three years now. I have taken the car keys away since last week he got lost in the car. He is very depresses about this and will hardly eat. Of course he is angry with me. I still work but I am looking for a driver to take him to yhe classes he likes to take. I don't know what else to do? Suggestions? Sheryl

Sheryl---I'm sorry. I was lucky...Charlie basically stopped driving on his own after we supposedly sold to his car to his granddaughter to save money on insurance.

Getting rid of the car might be easier than having it around reminding your husband that he can no longer drive.

Could you try to convince him that a driver is a status symbol and that he will be the envy of everyone else?

The "Chat" rooms are available to all, 24/7.

Just go to the top of the page, and click on "CHAT ROOM INDEX". Once there, you can click on OPEN CHAT ROOM 1,2,OR 3, or the "Chat Room for Persons With Dementia". Once you choose, the room should open. You should see other "conversations". To join in, simply type your message or response in the long box at the bottom, and click "RETURN".

If no one is there, you can come back here, or to one of the other forums, and send out an invite! Check it out most evenings-there is usually someone there.

If you want to "talk" here, in the forums, it is best to go to the "CAREGIVERS" FORUM, as that is where most members are. The members who are not interested in "chatting" would not see your post, here.

There are also several individual forums, which are listed in the MESSAGE BOARDS FORUM INDEX.

I'm all new to this. My husband is 81 and I think he's probably in his third year with the desease. He sits and stares a lot and has lost all interest in his woodworking and yard work. It's very frustrating for me because I see the man I married changing everyday. He also has COPD which complicates everything. He's becoming incontinent and I'm sure will have to get some help soon. I'm 75 now, so it's becoming harder for me. He also comes up with some really wild things that don't make sense. Anyway it helps to get it off my chest. Let me hear your stories.;

Hi, Joree. I know it is very frustrating to see your beloved change before your eyes. I have watched my mom slip away slowly, and it is so hard. She also has other medical issues like your hubby and that complicates things.

I'm glad you came to this message board. We're a wonderful community of people who understand and have amassed a great deal of knowledge which you can tap into.

The message board itself in organized into several forums, or specific areas. The one you posted this in deals with the chat rooms, and not many people visit it. I think you would thoroughly enjoy the Caregivers forum, and I am going to repost your message there, where you will be "heard" by many more people. If you want to start a new "thread" or topic of discussion in the future, click on the button at the top that says "Start a poll or discussion." Then click on Discussion, and it will pop up a window like the one you saw when you posted here.

I'll be looking for you over there!

Am new here and not sure if I'm in right place. But basically I'm a caregiver to my stepmother who has early stages of alzheimers. Sometimes I think she fakes things for attention and I want to know if anyone out there thinks they are capable of doing this. It's funny what she remembers one day and not the next.

hi deb e i am new to this site and don`t know what i`m doing, my husband is in his 3rd year of alz. and i am at me wits end, he has sundowners and get nasty some time and wants to go home all the time and he is home , gets mad at me when i tell him he is home, man this illness is so bad wish they would find a cure for it.ya i`m always thinking my husband is faking but i have to realize he isn`t ,so hard isn`t it, he is always fine in the morning come around 3 in the afternoon he starts and usually lasts until almost bed time, i get so mad at him sometime i have to walk away from him

Hello, Gail and Deb! Welcome to the message boards. I hate the reason you have to be here -- but I'm glad you found us. This is a lively community of some of the most memorable, loving, compassionate -- and sometimes a little loopy from stress! -- people you will meet. Some of us are ahead of you on the journey; some of us are behind. Learn from the ones ahead, and extend a hand back to the ones behind you. And when you need a place to come rant or cry -- this is is it!

The message boards are organized into several "forums," or special interest areas. The one you are in is for people looking to meet up with others in other interactive chat rooms. therefore, there is little traffic.

One of our liveliest forums is the Caregivers forum, and I know the people there would like to welcome you as well. So I am going to repost each of your posts in there, where I know you will receive good advice and support.

If you have not been to the Caregivers Forum, click on the link on the top of the page that says Message Boards Index. You will see a list of all the forums. Click on Caregivers, and you will see lots of posts from people just like you. It's a little tricky when you're brand new, but jump on in, the water's fine. We were all new to the boards once, and we'll help you along!

anyone there?

I'm here and I want to chat. I am unable to get on the forum and have been whining to anyone who will listen. i have discovered that it is my life line. I feel so badly for the girls that are just starting to cope with this disease. the changes are so hard. It seems as though I could not cope just three months ago. I have made so many personal strides forward in understanding this disease due to the kind knowledgable folks on the forum, that I feel I am a much better care giver. i want to thank all of you.

Quarterlady, if you are having trouble getting into the chat rooms, make sure you have the latest version of Java installed on your computer. That is the usual culprit.

Hi.... I am trying to find a caregiver for my mom twice a week. She is not requiring full-time care, just a companion and someone that can cook. I haven't had to deal with this. Do you have any ideas?

Hi, Barb! Welcome to the message boards. I am so sorry your mom has this nasty disease but glad you found us for support and advice.

This message board is set up in several different subject areas, such as one for people who have Alzheimer's, one for caregivers, etc. This particular area is designed for people who are looking to connect with someone in our chat rooms, so it gets very little traffic.

I hope you won't mind -- I'm going to repost your question in the caregivers forum, which gets a lot of people with experience to help you. To get to the caregivers forum, click on the Message Boards Forum Index and then on Caregiver's Forum. I will call it "Barb needs advice on in-home care."

Don't worry, you'll get the ins and outs of this place figured out in no time. It's nothing compared to coping with this disease!

hey im a nurse from sweden that works whit peopel that have alzhiemer or other dementia..
We use to say it`s a sicness that the love one around have troubel whit.Its nor easy to have some one sick around.I use to say they should just make whats they fell godd whit becuse often the person whit alzeihmer forgott things fast .They dont remember if you where there yesterday or for a minit ago. Keep on fighting for this dissies. I M happy that i have the opertioniti to work whit this peopel the last year of their lifes.

WELCOME fialotta! Glad to hear from you and bless you for your work! Please come back to visit us soon. Your posts would probably be seen by many more supporters in the Caregivers forum.

Together we WILL continue the fight!

Dear Fialotta: Welcome to this marvelous Online Community, we are glad you have found us.

The Chat Room does not always have a lot of "traffic", so I would like to offer you the opportunity to go to the, Caregiver's Forum. This is the forum on which most of the caregivers do their communicating. You will get much input there.

Your patient's are very blessed to have you caring for and about them. You seem to have found a perfect match for your abilities and for your compassionate self.

Do come back and talk to us some more, we are delighted to have you here with us.

Johanna C.
Peer Volunteer

Johanna C.

Could you tell me how to become a Peer Volunteer?

I currently have a website about my mother -
http://www.alzheimersmom.com and would love to help others.

Thanks in advance for your help.

This disease is such mystery and it's so hard to deal with the daily changes in our loved ones lives. I tell people all the time, it's easier to take care of someone sick (I helped with my dad and colon cancer for 1 yr)than to be an Alzheimer's caregiver. Oh yes, this is much worse, because the mind changes along with the physical changes.

Thank goodness for the Alz message boards for all of us to come to and find some peace in talking with others. I'm not sure you'll find the answers you want here, because only you know what your heart knows, but you can certainly find friends who will listen and can certainly relate to your situation.

May we find strength in numbers.

Hi Pamela,

I saw your post and thought I would jump in and let you know more about the Peer Volunteer program.

Right now we are right around the half way point for the Peer Volunteer 6 month Pilot. Back in November, 2008 I did a call out for members interested to apply. The selected five were then trained and began work in the month of January. After the six month pilot we are hoping to do a review and see how we will continue.

What I can do is make sure I reach out to you when and if the time comes to get new members to be a part of the Peer Volunteer program. It is great to see your interest. Let me know if you have other questions. You can email me at onlinecommunity@alz.org

You can read more about the pilot in the post titled “Meet your Online Community Peer Volunteers.”

Thanks,