Macular Degeneration – Hospital Appointments

[Christopher Wood]

Good morning



My suffers from both Macular Degeneration and Dementia. Recent hospital visits have been difficult and she no longer cooperates with hospital staff. It is a struggle and very stressful.



Are there any techniques that might work for her. She gets very agitated. I can get very little done now with her. Are there any techniques that might work for her and calm her down.



I am concerned at the damage it is causing to her eyesight and this further impacts on her dementia.



Thanks



Chris

 

[Grannie G]

Hello @Christopher Wood

Do you know if your mother`s Macular Degeneration is slow or fast developing? Her optician will be able to tell you.

I have Macular Degeneration too and mine is fairly slow moving. I have an annual scan at the opticians and don`t need to follow any instructions, they simply scan the back of my eye.

Occasionally I have blurring episodes.

Your mother`s eyesight might be affected by her dementia and it may be difficult to differentiate which is having the biggest effect.

Easier said than done I know but agitation sounds more likely to affect all your mother`s senses when she is unable to be wholly present. Will her doctor allow any calming medication? I know it is frowned on because of the risk of falls but there might be something she can have.

 

[Christopher Wood]

It is definitely worth a try.
Thanks

Chris

 

[Sarasa]

My mother had macular degeneration and was usually OK at the hospital, but when she was having treatment her dementia wasn't so advanced. In the end was wasn't really anything the hospital could do to stop the degeneration, and her dementia had advanced so we stopped the check-ups. Although it might not be what you want to hear maybe now is the time to stop the visits and just managed your mother's eye-sight day to day.

 

[Jaelorcat]

My Dad has late stage moderate Alzheimer’s and we were getting injections and check ups every 2 months for his wet macular degeneration.

It’s getting stressful taking him out now and he struggles to understand the medical practitioners instructions and we had so much else going on with a spell in respite, social services and hub appointments that we decided to pause treatment for now at least.

He’s 80 has atrial fibrillation and is now pretty much doubly incontinent so it was just one more thing to manage.