Hi all, new to this so please forgive me if I make a hash of it ! A bit about my situation to start with, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimers about 4 years ago - looking back I suppose it started maybe 6 or 7 years ago (what seems like normal forgetfullness and stress can be used as an excuse for a long time) anyway Dad is happily married and mum is coping most of the time, they just recently moved into a new house hoping to enjoy retirement - no such luck ! There are 3 kids (can i class myself still as a kid at 39 (?)) and we all live fairly local to mum & dad so always around if needed, take them out for days, shopping garden centres (seems to be afavourite) but never feel as though we are doing enough. Dad has never been one for reading or writing, has been a farmer for all his life, so was more a practical type, very strong character with a reputation for making a good deal all through his farming life, but all that's gone now, he follows mum around all the time and cannot concentrate on anything, gets very bored easily but can't express what he wants to do. We have just reached the stage where he is forgetting how to shave etc (don't you feel awfull talking about your dad behind his back !). He still likes pottering in the garden but even that interest is waining now - what do we do? I know there are no answers and I know what time will bring but no matter how "tough" on the outside you feel, the inside is hurting, but we have to find this inner strength to help mum as much as we help dad? Mum just getting over a bout of gout and one of the issues we had was that when mum wanted to contact us - dad couldn't get the phone to her - one of the questions I would like to see if any of you can shed light on is - "is there some kind of personal alarm that mum could have located around the house that would contact one of us - rather than a 3rd party?"
Was worried that I wouldn't have anything to say - think I've proved myself wrong & think I will become a regular !
Was worried that I wouldn't have anything to say - think I've proved myself wrong & think I will become a regular !