My dad is in the late stages of Alz. He stays in bed most of the time & won't eat. My 1st? is what are the signs of dehydration?

My mother is the sole caregiver. They are in FL & I'm in AR so I am unable to help. If I could figure out a way to put my life on hold here, I would go there. Anyway ..... 2nd ? - I have been trying to find a home health care worker to come in a few days a week to help Mom but have been unable to find help. We (Mom & I) have talked with the Area Agency on Aging in their area but we're told there is no funding available.

I tried to get help thru the VA (my father was in WWII) but I was told that no one with his SS# ever served in the military. We have no paperwork to prove otherwise. I thought that was quite convenient of the VA - if they don't want to bother with an old Vet, just say they don't exist.

Without going into exhaustive detail, I have tried every resource I can find, with no luck. There are dozens of agencies listed to help, but so far no one has been able to help. And they just refer me to another agency.

Please help. I know I am not the only family going thru this. What can we do? Thanks, Bendy Goodwin

Dear Bendy,

Thank you for reaching out to the Alzheimer's Association message boards for help. I am really sorry to hear about your experience with the VA telling you that your father is not in their records. That is extremely frustrating to say the least. Also, your difficulty finding affordable care is an all-too-common situation.

Here is a fact sheet called Planning ahead for Long Term Care Expenses. It sounds like your needs are immediate but this fact sheet might help outline some options to consider. Unfortunately, paying for care sometimes requires families to tap into resources such as equity and other precious resources.

You mentioned that your father is in the later stages of AD. Persons with advanced AD who survive to the point of being unable to swallow even with assistance, or who have lost all interest in eating and drinking, are most likely in the final phase of the dying process. Has your father's doctor recommended hospice care? If not, that might be something ot look into. Medicare will cover the cost of hospice care if a physician has indicated that the individual has 6 months or less to live.

Regarding your concerns about dehydration, Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic's website on Dehydration .

I hope that this information is helpful and I encourage you to call our helpline at 1-800-272-3900 if you'd like to speak with a counselor about these or other issues.

Sincerely,