My Dad has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's

Hootstoots

Registered User
May 18, 2015
15
0
Worthing,West.Sussex
Good Morning all,Dad has been poorly for a little while,he is 67 years old and yesterday we finally got the diagnosis that we have been waiting for for a while.
My Mum is very positive,which is great,but I just wondered if anyone can help us with what to expect maybe over the coming year.
He will be on a one-a-day tablet to start off.
He already uses a Zimmer frame when getting up and a stick to help him steady himself when he walks.
If this is only mild/early stages Alzheimer's,then I'm so scared.
We are a close family and I have a sister(& we both have respective other halves) which can only help right??
Thanks for reading and for any advice offered.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Welcome to TP.

There are plenty of fact sheets on this site about all sorts of topics to do with dementia but the thing to remember is that not one person with dementia is like any other and not one person will have exactly the same symptoms or rate of decline as another. The important thing is for him to get his affairs in order regarding will and power of attorney and get in touch with charities like Alzheimer's Society, Age UK or the Carers Centre for emotional support and practical help. They can assist with a benefits check and filling in forms and they also have social groups like coffee mornings or Singing for the Brain that you could attend together. If you feel you need further help like day care, sitting service or respite, you have the right both for a needs assessment for your dad and a carers assessment to find out what social services could help you with. An occupational therapist can check out the house for any need for grab rails, bath seats or other improvements, and telecare could provide memory or tracker devices. A dementia diagnosis has to be reported to the DVLA but it does not automatically mean that he needs to stop driving.

My OH was diagnosed shortly before his 67th birthday. Four years later his memory is pretty much shot to pieces and he is not talking much anymore, but he is still a happy soul who enjoys going to the day centre and the cinema.
 
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Hootstoots

Registered User
May 18, 2015
15
0
Worthing,West.Sussex
That's great,thanks for the advice Beate.
We are all just trying to get our heads around this,it was only diagnosed on Monday so it's all very new to us.
Mum has told the DVLA already and they are more than happy for him to still drive at the moment.
We've all been feeling really anxious this week and finding it hard to focus on anything other than Dads illness,I guess in time we'll learn to deal with it a bit better.
We will take on board everything you wrote.
Thanks again.:eek:
 

Optomistic

Registered User
Jul 24, 2014
127
0
Manchester
My husband is 77 and was diagnosed with early Alzheimers last August he takes one Aricept tablet at night. I have found these tablets very good and it is slowing down the symptons. We are going to Malta in two weeks with my son and he is looking forward to it.

I think some people get a few good years out of taking the tablets so its best to stay positive and carry on with things.
 

Hootstoots

Registered User
May 18, 2015
15
0
Worthing,West.Sussex
That's positive and Malta sounds great!
We are all going to Florida in September and are hoping with his mobility issues that if we speak to the airline they may pull out all the stops(we treated ourselves to upper class on the flight out for a once in a lifetime treat!)
Dad is on Donepezil,he seems pretty chipper seeing as he's only been on it for 5 days,he just has a little tummy trouble(not nausea!) so they are monitoring it over the weekend to see if he adjusts with a couple of days.
 

Dooners

Registered User
May 23, 2015
6
0
Hi.

My mum was diagnosed 4 years ago and is on Aricept (Donezipil). The tablet has absolutely given us our Mum back. She is 4 years down the road, repeats the same thing over and over and doesn't always know what day it is, but she still has most of her marbles intact. It is really hard to watch the decline, and it never really stops, but hopefully the tablets will give you more time together.

Just try to remember not to get too frustrated (and it's not easy, believe me) when he asks you something 20 times. I said to Mum the other day (after she had told me the same thing 8 times in 12 minutes), "don't worry Mum, things will keep dropping out of your brain and we will do our best to keep putting them back in".

Try to see the funny side if you can. Some of the stuff she comes out with is priceless and she can still understand why it's funny.

Take care. xx
 

Sammyjo1

Registered User
Jul 8, 2014
193
0
My OH was diagnosed in July last year when he was 65. He's been on donepezil for about 9 months and it's totally transformed him. He's currently at a conference in Paris (being looked after by colleagues) having had a 2 day conference in his honour here immediately beforehand.

We have travelled quite a bit since the diagnosis. I need to have assistance at the airports anyway but I now ask for assistance for him as well and they are all very good at helping him through security which he now finds confusing. So i would encourage you to approach the airline and ask for help.

I think it takes a few weeks for the full effects of the donepezil to kick in - my OH had a few tummy issues to begin with but it then settled down and he was able to go up to the 10 mg dose after a month.

I know how devastating the diagnosis is and how hard it is to come to terms with at the beginning but I hope you will find that you will adjust and get used to it, and that hopefully you will still have quite a few years of fun ahead of you.
 

RKelley

Registered User
May 14, 2015
4
0
Hiya,
My lovely Dad was diagnosed 3 weeks ago & I think I've taken it worse than he has!
My advice is not to Google & pretty much stick to these websites!
I find that I am actively looking for decline every time I see/speak to him. I've calmed down as time goes on but try not to over think things.
Enjoy every moment & get the practicals in place as soon as you can.
Thinking of you x
 

Countryboy

Registered User
Mar 17, 2005
1,680
0
South West
My husband is 77 and was diagnosed with early Alzheimers last August he takes one Aricept tablet at night. I have found these tablets very good and it is slowing down the symptons. We are going to Malta in two weeks with my son and he is looking forward to it.

I think some people get a few good years out of taking the tablets so its best to stay positive and carry on with things.

Well done Optomistic your looking forward In a positive way unfortunately we don’t get that enough positivity Re; dementia on T.P , to add to your comment on Aricept well I have dementia and been taking Aricept since November 1999 is that 16 years this year , ok I was 57 when I started taking them but i'm still able to respond this thread on T.P so that’s says something , hope holiday goes well nice weather
and keep being positive
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
74,002
0
72
Dundee
My husband was diagnosed 14 years ago. His dementia is quite far advanced now but we've lived each day as it comes and have had (and are still having) some good times. We're just back from a week in Spain.
 

Hootstoots

Registered User
May 18, 2015
15
0
Worthing,West.Sussex
I'm loving seeing such positive things written on my thread.
Thanks so much everyone.
We are taking things one day at a time but reading a post from a sufferer is nothing but positive.
Much love to you all :D
 

Isobel19660

Registered User
Feb 5, 2015
17
0
Hiya,
My lovely Dad was diagnosed 3 weeks ago & I think I've taken it worse than he has!
My advice is not to Google & pretty much stick to these websites!
I find that I am actively looking for decline every time I see/speak to him. I've calmed down as time goes on but try not to over think things.
Enjoy every moment & get the practicals in place as soon as you can.
Thinking of you x

Hi , I can so relate to how you are feeling. My dad has a potential diagnosis imminent ( he did really badly at the GP's with a memory test ) but mum was diagnosed too about 18 months . I have not dealt with the news this week and have had a bit of a melt down. Feel I need to pull myself together but not sure how ??
 

Isobel19660

Registered User
Feb 5, 2015
17
0
meeting with support worker

I have a meeting tomorrow with a local support worker from Alzheimer society so I am hoping that will be really useful.

Very scared though that she may tell me something I don't want to hear !
 

nannylondon

Registered User
Apr 7, 2014
2,475
0
London
I'm loving seeing such positive things written on my thread.
Thanks so much everyone.
We are taking things one day at a time but reading a post from a sufferer is nothing but positive.
Much love to you all :D

Hi Hootstoots my OH was on Donezpil for 9 years and until recently it seemed to keep him on quite an even keel and we had extra time together to enjoy ourselves keep posting on TP it has been a source of information and support for me X
 

Trixxie

Registered User
Oct 3, 2014
51
0
Midsomer Norton near Bath
My hubby was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last October at the age of just 54! He takes Aricept 10mg and has declined a bit over the last 9 months but still works full time & we really try to keep things normal, & make the most of every minute but the thought of your loved one having Alzheimer's never leaves your mind on a day to day basis but you will get by. Take care


Hubby recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's
 

Sparrowlegs

Registered User
Jul 9, 2015
19
0
Reading these comments adds to me having slight hope that my mum (diagnosed dementia about a week ago) may be Ok for a while yet. I mean her mobility is terrible and I am really scared about leaving her with carers once I go back to work!