Hi there everyone
It's long slow decline this dreadful disease isn't it?
If I'd known when I first joined back in June 2015 what I know now I'd be shocked - 4 years of watching my Mother wither away to a shell of her former self.
I remember when we went on a cruise together to the Caribbean, Mum swimming in the sea, just loving every minute of it. That was 2013 and the first signs started a year later.
It was so sad on Sunday, I'd come back home to find Mum standing in my drive looking lost and forlorn, I'd nearly run her over. By the time I'd parked my car and run down the drive, Mum had disappeared. I rushed around to her home (she lives next door) to find the door locked, the TV blaring and I assumed she'd gone inside.
Then I get a phone call from a neighbour asking me to come and collect my mother so I rushed down the road and found Mum just standing in the drive of her old house looking lost. I asked her if she was okay and she told me she waiting for my late father (died several years) and I told her that he was not with us anymore (now realise that was a big mistake) and her face crumpled, she didn't believe me and cried. Mum didn't know who I was, why she was there, except that my father had 'gone to the dogs as it was Monday' (this was from years ago) and she was waiting for his car so he could pick her up. It was all so sad and heartbreaking.
The neighbour was furious as she'd already taken Mum back home once that morning and Mum had walked back to her old house looking for my father.
I took her home and found the tap running in the sink and the place in a mess. Mum couldn't remember why she'd left. She was dehydrated with swollen feet, dishevelled and smelt as she hadn't showered or washed that day.
I have spoken to social care many times as well as Mum's GP and the sticking point has been that Mum has stubbornly refused all outside care (she's nearly 94) and the GP has diagnosed that Mum has Capacity.
I am now going through the 3rd attempt to get Social Care and the Dr involved and I am not sure how successful I'm going to be this time...it's like Groundhog Day. I'm debating whether to contact the Police in case Mum wanders again....
I've explored Attendance Allowance to get Mum into the system but that has failed because I can't put Alzheimer's on the form because Mum has not been diagnosed and won't go to her GP and GP says she has Capacity. Mum will not socialise or go anyway unless I take her out but said to me on Sunday that she is desperately lonely.
The strange thing on Sunday after all of the upset, I was in mum's kitchen making her cup of tea and there she was sitting on her settee with her feet up watching her favourite TV programme!
Mum is in pretty good health physically except for her Glaucoma, swollen ankles.
I am pretty busy running a business and my home and I'm a bit concerned that Mum wanders off again to her old home to find my father that I won't be around to sort it out. I know the owner is not going to be very happy finding my mum wandering around her house looking through the windows. I had to cancel a client Sunday afternoon because I had to help Mum and my business is my only source of income.
I have spoken to my brother about this (he lives miles away) but he says that, short of telling SS and GP there is not much we can do and he suggests that if anyone calls me (which they will do as I live next door) I'm to tell them to call the Police.
Have we covered everything? I know I am not alone and there is thousands going through what I am going through but I am terrified that Mum will get knocked over or cause an accident if she is wandering around on a busy road. She is very unsteady on her feet and has had some falls already this year.
I'm just worried and concerned that it will happen again and is there anything we can do to stop Mum being a danger to herself and others.
It's long slow decline this dreadful disease isn't it?
If I'd known when I first joined back in June 2015 what I know now I'd be shocked - 4 years of watching my Mother wither away to a shell of her former self.
I remember when we went on a cruise together to the Caribbean, Mum swimming in the sea, just loving every minute of it. That was 2013 and the first signs started a year later.
It was so sad on Sunday, I'd come back home to find Mum standing in my drive looking lost and forlorn, I'd nearly run her over. By the time I'd parked my car and run down the drive, Mum had disappeared. I rushed around to her home (she lives next door) to find the door locked, the TV blaring and I assumed she'd gone inside.
Then I get a phone call from a neighbour asking me to come and collect my mother so I rushed down the road and found Mum just standing in the drive of her old house looking lost. I asked her if she was okay and she told me she waiting for my late father (died several years) and I told her that he was not with us anymore (now realise that was a big mistake) and her face crumpled, she didn't believe me and cried. Mum didn't know who I was, why she was there, except that my father had 'gone to the dogs as it was Monday' (this was from years ago) and she was waiting for his car so he could pick her up. It was all so sad and heartbreaking.
The neighbour was furious as she'd already taken Mum back home once that morning and Mum had walked back to her old house looking for my father.
I took her home and found the tap running in the sink and the place in a mess. Mum couldn't remember why she'd left. She was dehydrated with swollen feet, dishevelled and smelt as she hadn't showered or washed that day.
I have spoken to social care many times as well as Mum's GP and the sticking point has been that Mum has stubbornly refused all outside care (she's nearly 94) and the GP has diagnosed that Mum has Capacity.
I am now going through the 3rd attempt to get Social Care and the Dr involved and I am not sure how successful I'm going to be this time...it's like Groundhog Day. I'm debating whether to contact the Police in case Mum wanders again....
I've explored Attendance Allowance to get Mum into the system but that has failed because I can't put Alzheimer's on the form because Mum has not been diagnosed and won't go to her GP and GP says she has Capacity. Mum will not socialise or go anyway unless I take her out but said to me on Sunday that she is desperately lonely.
The strange thing on Sunday after all of the upset, I was in mum's kitchen making her cup of tea and there she was sitting on her settee with her feet up watching her favourite TV programme!
Mum is in pretty good health physically except for her Glaucoma, swollen ankles.
I am pretty busy running a business and my home and I'm a bit concerned that Mum wanders off again to her old home to find my father that I won't be around to sort it out. I know the owner is not going to be very happy finding my mum wandering around her house looking through the windows. I had to cancel a client Sunday afternoon because I had to help Mum and my business is my only source of income.
I have spoken to my brother about this (he lives miles away) but he says that, short of telling SS and GP there is not much we can do and he suggests that if anyone calls me (which they will do as I live next door) I'm to tell them to call the Police.
Have we covered everything? I know I am not alone and there is thousands going through what I am going through but I am terrified that Mum will get knocked over or cause an accident if she is wandering around on a busy road. She is very unsteady on her feet and has had some falls already this year.
I'm just worried and concerned that it will happen again and is there anything we can do to stop Mum being a danger to herself and others.