MY husband has just been diagnosed with levy body dementia. He is only 58 years old and I feel he has had the disease for the last two years. We live an hour and a half from our children and they want us to move closer. The house they want us to move to is a one bedroom house. Is this something I need to do now or do I have time to think about things? Also he is having lots of problems with the medication they put him on for his memory- generic drug of aricept. ANy advice that can help with the stomach issues. I wonder if the drug is really necessary.
Caring for my spouse with dementia
- Thread starter Alonzomp
- Start date
Hi - so sorry you had to join this 'club' -but people on here are wonderful and very helpful.
All I can say is that my husband was diagnosed with AD at 59-and then took Ariept for best part of 6 years. It did seem to help slow progression-although I'm not sure if there would have been a difference without it. Everyone is different.
When does he take it? Maybe taking it at night may help with any upsets?
As for the house move -think carefully. My husband is now in care -but I looked after him at home for over 8 years. For the last few years, separate bedrooms helped me to keep him at home for longer. It meant I coud get more rest - plus he became very possessive about 'his' space and ddin't like me going in what had been our room. I made the spare room into my sanctuary -helped me maintain some sanity when things got harder.
If you were to move, it may be better to do it sooner rather than later - avoid him becoming to lost/confused - but I would go for two bedrooms in case.
Keep posting -the help you get on here is life saving.
Sah.
They want you to move - but what do you want? If it is so they can give more support, fair enough, but be advised that promising help and actually giving it are two very different things. If it's just so they can pop in for half an hour every Sunday, forget it. Moving is an upheaval and hugely stressful. If done early, it could be beneficial, but think carefully about this. Why just a one bedroom house? My OH and I have separate bedrooms due to his incontinence. If you ever wanted care overnight, the carer needs their own bedroom. Plus, please investigate thoroughly what the care situation and provisions are like there as opposed to where you live now. How much you have to pay for home care and which facilities are available varies hugely from council to council. For example, is there a dementia specialised day care centre and how much is it per day? People research schools when they move but they never research social care provisions, even though they are so important.
I agree totally with Beate and would emphasise her phase If done early. My wife was diagnosed with "Alzheimer's - probably" aged 60. I found that very early on she couldn't handle minor changes never mind moving house. When the toaster packed up I replaced it with one as near identical as I could get but she still treats it as an alien device. This lack of recognition creeps backwards so now items we replaced 5 years ago are treated with suspicion.
My wife was on Aricept for about 6 months with no improvement and just about every side-effect in the list including severe diarrhoea and vivid nightmares that she remembered for days. The consultant recommended that we keep on trying in case it worked. I wish I had said enough is enough much earlier.
My wife was on Aricept for about 6 months with no improvement and just about every side-effect in the list including severe diarrhoea and vivid nightmares that she remembered for days. The consultant recommended that we keep on trying in case it worked. I wish I had said enough is enough much earlier.
Aricept doesn't suit everyone. If you are following the general advice to take it after a major meal and the stomach issues persist, Let your GP and/or consultant know. There are alternatives, see https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1045
It you need to make a move you need to do it as soon as possible. Ideally it is better not to move as it can be very stressful and it may be very difficult to make the adjustment. This will just get more and more difficult as time goes on. We have already made the decision not to move even though our house and garden will become a maintenance headache and we are 130 miles from the nearest family member.
It you need to make a move you need to do it as soon as possible. Ideally it is better not to move as it can be very stressful and it may be very difficult to make the adjustment. This will just get more and more difficult as time goes on. We have already made the decision not to move even though our house and garden will become a maintenance headache and we are 130 miles from the nearest family member.
As already mentioned do really try to keep a second bedroom for yourself as further down the line sharing a bedroom does mean you get to next to no sleep when caring for some one with dementia. When ever I have to share these days I am totally wiped out the next day
If you move what support will be available in the new area? Doctors, care packages, day care centre, sitting service, respite service etc.
A one bedroom house is not a good idea in my opinion. You need two bedrooms. Shower? Bath? You need a large shower, large bathroom with bath and safety grab rails. Safety features eg window and door locks.
Will house have safe garden?
Virtual hugs,
Aisling
