Hello,

My name is Kathy and I am 52 years old and was diagnosed 2 long, hard, lonely months ago with semantic dementia. I am looking for others to discuss their situations and to know what to do and where to go from here.

Hi Kathy,my dad was diagnoised in August 2006 with severe advanced Alzheimers and was told no medication would help the condition.We live in England and when my dad was diagnoised he had a mini mental-state examination and only scored 5 out of 30.I have two brothers and one sister who I fell out with when dad was diagnoised as they told me I was imagining it when I said dad was going to see a specialist about his memory.They said there was nothing wrong with dad.I have had my dad live with my husband and I for 27 years ever since my mum died with cancer and I had a 13 year old brother to help bring up.I have cried so much to see my dad get worse and worse and there is nothing I can do.It has now got to the stage where he is incontinent and getting aggresive.I have decided to put him into a care home and when my social services team did an assessment on him to get funding from the PCT-(primary care trust)I was told my dad did not meet the criteria.So now social services are funding which is not so much and the care homes are not that good as I can only go and see ones that they say are available under social services.It has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make and its just tearing me up inside.This disease is awful.

Kathy, Welcome to our little corner of the world. You will find many friends and a wealth of info. here... May i suggest you try the chat rooms? We usually have a lively discussion, and many to answer your questions.
Take care of yourself.

ttt

Hi people;
SGHF 51 been on aricept for about a year. Just starting teaching career and looking for some conversation with others to help deal with the processes. Do not like to be too serious all the time, went through it with my Mom for 17 years. No problem accepting it, just think life is too short not to laugh at it.

hi kathy,

i read your new about your dad, its so hard to let go and especially to a nursing home that doesnt seem fit for him. i recently put my mom in a home under the same situation. no money and you need social services to help. the first time she went in to a home one month ago and on the 2nd day she was lying on the floor for 2 hours because she fell and no on checked on her. i was so angry i went there the next day and brought her home. that was a mistake because she came home worse then when she left. she got ill and we brought her back to the hospital. again she would be placed, i told the social worker that i will not place my mom it a bad place again. i found out that you can deny the offers up to 4 times before they can make u do anything. talk to other people, as alzheimer asso. to help you . i did and that is how i found out. dont settle for any place that is unfit for him. you and you alone like myself have to fight for him. i too have a brother who doesnt help me at all. i do it myself. i go everyday and learn my moms routine. and spend as much time possible. they nursing home thinks i am crazy for being there so much. i dont care, i do what i have to for my mom. thats what you have to do. dont worry about what people think, keep fight for your dad. you can do it.
mary

hi, my name is janet and my mom is in a nursing home she has alzhimersI took care of her for 9 months But she kept going back and forth to the hospital due to her constant falling the hospital put her there , now she is there for the long term It breks my heart to go and see her there she is always asking when she could come home, she has a little dog that Ive been taking care ofthat she adores so I bring him up to see her every week Ive noticed that she is worse now concerning her stability she needs the nurse to help her get into the bath room she is also Diabetic and has developed an open sore on the bottom of her foot I am thinking her foot doctor should see her so I have to make arrangements for her transportation to his office, i was just wondering if anyone else out there has a similar situation please contact me if you can relate. thanks janet

Kathy J. Jones
I would like to know if you ever worked in Madison WV? I used to work with a Kathy Jones at MMS., would like to know if you could be the one. By the way my husband who is 57 has early onset AD. This is about the 7th or 8th year that we have been dealing with this. So, I do have an idea of what you are going through...sort of. Hang in there.