Lockdown deteriorating

Jossy

New member
Apr 4, 2019
9
0
My husbands alzheimers has got much worse since we've been in isolation. He will not keep a distance when we go out walking.
He's always looking for his Mother, who died in 1983 in Northern Ireland. He's convinced she was staying here in our holiday home (we've never had a holiday home, this has been our home for 38yrs) He wonders why she's late getting home at night. Brings her tea in the morning.
Then he keeps asking who owns this house ( we do) he wants to know who we pay rent too. Says he found a load of socks in his drawer that aren't his . He says they belong to the people who own the house.
He doesn't remember marrying me 45yrs ago. The other night as he got into bed he said "do you know, I don't know who will be in my bed every night. Jean was here (me) then that other lady the next night, now you, but he didn't know my name.
He has started to choke on his food quite often recently too. These things have started happening in the past 3 months. Is this the way alzheimers progresses? My husband was officially diagnosed 2 & half years ago. I knew something was wrong in 2009. The G.P. wouldn't listen to me & wouldn't refer him to the memory clinic. I really don't know what to do. I could never leave him while I went out by myself any more. I could before lockdown.
 

woodpony

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
19
0
Wiltshire
Hello Jossy.
I am a carer for a lady who I have known all my adult life and we are great friends. She is 83 and was diagnosed with vascular dementia just over two years ago. The doctor we saw originally ran the memory tests and prescribe donepezil. It was only after we saw a geriatrician that she was sent to the memory clinic who came back with the diagnosis. She is now taking memantine as well. We have been in isolation since March 18th and she has changed dramatically. We no longer have the television on as the people are always talking about her. She said they were talking about the way she dressed and what she said. She also started to speak to her own reflection in a display cabinet where she see's an elderly lady with her small child. Margaret has a small dolly which to her is a real baby. So she talks to her reflection. She has lived in this house since she got married in 1953, and is a widow. She owns the house but didn't realise the house was hers. She has told me that she has never lived here before. She can see and hear people that are not there and we have to speak very quietly so the don't hear what we say. I did speak to her consultant after she heard a baby crying and her mother was ignoring the baby, Margaret thought that was so cruel. The memantine was increased to 15mg. Someday's I must admit can be a struggle it is so sad to see a bright, talkative lady withdraw into a shell in such a short time.
 

woodpony

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
19
0
Wiltshire
My husbands alzheimers has got much worse since we've been in isolation. He will not keep a distance when we go out walking.
He's always looking for his Mother, who died in 1983 in Northern Ireland. He's convinced she was staying here in our holiday home (we've never had a holiday home, this has been our home for 38yrs) He wonders why she's late getting home at night. Brings her tea in the morning.
Then he keeps asking who owns this house ( we do) he wants to know who we pay rent too. Says he found a load of socks in his drawer that aren't his . He says they belong to the people who own the house.
He doesn't remember marrying me 45yrs ago. The other night as he got into bed he said "do you know, I don't know who will be in my bed every night. Jean was here (me) then that other lady the next night, now you, but he didn't know my name.
He has started to choke on his food quite often recently too. These things have started happening in the past 3 months. Is this the way alzheimers progresses? My husband was officially diagnosed 2 & half years ago. I knew something was wrong in 2009. The G.P. wouldn't listen to me & wouldn't refer him to the memory clinic. I really don't know what to do. I could never leave him while I went out by myself any more. I could before lockdown.
Hello Jossy.
I am a carer for a lady who I have known all my adult life and we are great friends. She is 83 and was diagnosed with vascular dementia just over two years ago. The doctor we saw originally ran the memory tests and prescribe donepezil. It was only after we saw a geriatrician that she was sent to the memory clinic who came back with the diagnosis. She is now taking memantine as well. We have been in isolation since March 18th and she has changed dramatically. We no longer have the television on as the people are always talking about her. She said they were talking about the way she dressed and what she said. She also started to speak to her own reflection in a display cabinet where she see's an elderly lady with her small child. Margaret has a small dolly which to her is a real baby. So she talks to her reflection. She has lived in this house since she got married in 1953, and is a widow. She owns the house but didn't realise the house was hers. She has told me that she has never lived here before. She can see and hear people that are not there and we have to speak very quietly so the don't hear what we say. I did speak to her consultant after she heard a baby crying and her mother was ignoring the baby, Margaret thought that was so cruel. The memantine was increased to 15mg. Someday's I must admit can be a struggle it is so sad to see a bright, talkative lady withdraw into a shell in such a short time.
 

Jossy

New member
Apr 4, 2019
9
0
Thank you for your reply. My husband has been on mermentine since diagnosis. He doesn't see a Doctor any more. The memory clinic discharged him as no more can be done. I saw an Admiral Nurse a couple of times. I was told to phone her if I needed to speak. I have phoned & left my phone number, but she never rings me back. So I gave up. Even our G.P. doesn't want to see him. I really feel as though we're on our own & just have to get on with it. ?‍♀️
 

woodpony

Registered User
Nov 22, 2017
19
0
Wiltshire
Thank you for your reply. My husband has been on mermentine since diagnosis. He doesn't see a Doctor any more. The memory clinic discharged him as no more can be done. I saw an Admiral Nurse a couple of times. I was told to phone her if I needed to speak. I have phoned & left my phone number, but she never rings me back. So I gave up. Even our G.P. doesn't want to see him. I really feel as though we're on our own & just have to get on with it. ?‍♀️
I have heard others say the same thing. I wonder if this is a post code thing. Margaret has been very lucky it would seem. Her consultant has visited her three times at home and we have seen him in his clinic. He is also quite happy to speak to us if we are experiencing any issues. Here in Wiltshire we also have a charity call Alzheimers Support who supply support workers at a cost per hour, music and movement for the mind and many other things. We have missed them during lockdown although we have had contact with them over the telephone. They are only a phone call away. Admiral nurses I know nothing about. Please don't give up, sometimes you have to fight for what you need. I have spent time on the internet looking for help as this is a great resource to find things out and what is available locally. Once I contact people we can get things done. It's hard I know and I struggle with things sometimes.
 

Bikerbeth

Registered User
Feb 11, 2019
2,119
0
Bedford
Thank you for your reply. My husband has been on mermentine since diagnosis. He doesn't see a Doctor any more. The memory clinic discharged him as no more can be done. I saw an Admiral Nurse a couple of times. I was told to phone her if I needed to speak. I have phoned & left my phone number, but she never rings me back. So I gave up. Even our G.P. doesn't want to see him. I really feel as though we're on our own & just have to get on with it. ?‍♀️
The support available does seem to depend on area. After referral to memory clinic we saw a specialist nurse who did the tests. We never saw a consultant he just confirmed the diagnosis from the tests. The nurse came back and went through the diagnosis, left a pile of leaflets and we have never saw an ‘expert’ again until Mum went into a home. However one leaflet was for the local Alzheimers group. We were visited by a lady who answered our questions and then pointed us in the direction of other local groups that provided activities or support including their own monthly cafe with activities, music for memory etc. It is through these that I started to find support. If you go onto the main Alzheimer site and type in ‘support’ that would direct you as there is a section that says find local support. Apologies if you tried this and there is none in your area.
To answer your initial question My Mum has definitely declined cognitively during lockdown, although how much is due to lockdown and how much is due to Alzheimers I obviously could not say.