Hello I'm new to the site

[patsygee]

My husband was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2008 and also has type 2 diabetes and I am now caring for him full time after giving up working. He has been taken off dementia medication because it did not seem to be helping but he is now sleeping all day and wandering about all night and is displaying aggressive behaviour at times. The sleep deprivation is tough and I'm not sure how long I can continue. I have asked if he can be assessed to see if there is anything which might improve things, but my GP says she can't help, although I have been told there are assessment centers in my area. I have been referred back to the Psychiatrist for further advice. The GP feels the dementia is advanced and has suggested I need to think about him going into care but says it is my decision. Can anyone offer me any advice? Thanks

[chris53]

Hello patsyg, first welcome to talking point-you will find this site a great help for when you need it,am sorry you are going through the mill at the moment,lack of sleep is a killer! do you just have one GP at your practice? sorry to be blunt but what you have said does not come across as her being very helpful,may I suggest you see another doctor to get a second opinion as by the sounds of things something needs to be put in place sooner rather then later, easy for someone to say go into a home but for most of us it is the last resort, you need a mental health assessment done and yes you can request this to be done at home,also what can social services do to help,but most of all YOU need support and pointing in the right direction rather then dismissed, I am sure your friends on this site will be supportive to you. Good luck and a hug x

[muriel.elliott]

Hi Patsyg,
I can realy feel for you. I went thru sleep depridation too with Bryan. How i coped with about 2 hours sleep a night for months i do not know. He could not walk but did try and manage somehow to get out of bed and i had to call the paramedics to get him back into bed.
I do urge you get an assessment done at home. The decision of a home really is a last resort.
Love and hugs Muriel xx

[Izzy]

Have you had a Social Work assessment of needs? That is where I started with first of all my mother and then with my husband. I also got a carer's assessment and if you haven't had one of these then I think that this would be a good idea as well.

Bill's GP has very little to do with his care. It's the psychiatrist at the memory clinic who sees him every 6 months who oversees his Alzheimer's. When I thought things were changing with Bill I wrote a very detailed letter to her and she suggested that he go to an assessment centre for one day a week for quite a long period of time. That was where they decided to change his medication from Aricept to Exelon and they also changed his medication for depression. I don't have to wait for referral to this psychiatrist I contact her directly.

I hope you can get some help soon. x

[Grannie G]

When my husband was home the only contact he had with his GP was to manage his Diabetes. Anything to do with his dementia was in the hands of his consultant psychiatrist.

Perhaps you could phone the consultant patsygee and say the situation is becoming unmanageable and could you have an emergency appointment.

There is no shame is considering residential care. It is best to do this before you find yourself in a crisis situation.