Hi all
My father-in-law, who is 80, has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. He is still at the early stages and not too bad yet.
However he is becoming increasingly resentful and nasty to my mother-in-law. He is very cutting and sarcastic to her, and is also becoming more childlike in the way he reacts to her - today she caught him pulling faces at her behind her back! He seems very suspicious of what she does e.g. does not want to trust her with regard to taking his medication but wants to sort it all out himself (which he can't do, as he forgets what he has already taken).
I know personality changes can be part of the illness but can anyone advise on how my mother-in-law should handle his attitude to her? Obviously she finds it upsetting and hurtful. We try to tell her not to take it personally but she is now worried that he has been harbouring some sort of simmering resentment throughout their 50 years of marriage.
Should she try to discuss with him? Just try to ignore it and get on with caring for him?
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
fluffy bunny
My father-in-law, who is 80, has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. He is still at the early stages and not too bad yet.
However he is becoming increasingly resentful and nasty to my mother-in-law. He is very cutting and sarcastic to her, and is also becoming more childlike in the way he reacts to her - today she caught him pulling faces at her behind her back! He seems very suspicious of what she does e.g. does not want to trust her with regard to taking his medication but wants to sort it all out himself (which he can't do, as he forgets what he has already taken).
I know personality changes can be part of the illness but can anyone advise on how my mother-in-law should handle his attitude to her? Obviously she finds it upsetting and hurtful. We try to tell her not to take it personally but she is now worried that he has been harbouring some sort of simmering resentment throughout their 50 years of marriage.
Should she try to discuss with him? Just try to ignore it and get on with caring for him?
Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
fluffy bunny