Mum

Roma

Registered User
Jan 15, 2008
122
0
UK
Hi all

Just registered today and wanted to introduce myself. My Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2004, although I was aware that something was wrong way back in 2000, but of course like many of you have probably experienced it took a long time before Mum would even agree to go to the doctors. She still lives at home on her own - my Dad died in 1993.

She has a carer who goes in twice a day to give her medication and heat a meal up for her at teatime, but I do the rest of her care, ie. shopping, housework, bathing, etc.

She is on Aricept but I don't think it is as effective as it once was. Her speech has deteriorated quite a bit over the past couple of years but I can usually understand what she is trying to say - most of the time.

She has now started ringing me and a good friend of hers at all hours of the day and sometimes in the middle of the night - which is quite disconcerting when you're sound asleep as the phone is right by my side of the bed!!! Not sure if this is just because the days are dark at this time of year and she is confusing night and day. No doubt we'll see if things change in the summer months. So I'm fairly sleep deprived at the moment.

I've been comforted by the fact that there are a lot of us out there going through the same thing and I look forward to hopefully offering some help with my own experiences as well as receiving some help too.

Roma
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,445
0
Kent
Hello Roma, welcome to TP.

Quite a few of us have noticed behaviour changes this winter. The nights are longer, there is less opportunity to get out of the house and there is little to do.

It could be an explanation for your mother`s night time disturbance. If my husband has a nap, when he wakes he has no idea whether it`s morning or evening, whether he`s been to bed or been up for hours.

It will be difficult for you, being woken by the phone. I don`t really know how that can be avoided. The days are just beginning to get a little longer, if that`s any consolation.

I hope you will soon be helped by the amazing support you`ll find here, and many will have shared your experiences, I`m sure.

Take care xx
 

SusanB

Registered User
Jan 15, 2008
155
0
Hove
Hi Roma,

I joined just yesterday and already I've been very comforted by the support on this Forum so welcome to you too.

Sounds like your situation with your Mum is getting you down - poor you, although you don't seem sorry for yourself at all! Unlike me!! You've been caring for her for a long time and I do hope you get some respite an ongoing support.
Susan
 

Doreen99

Registered User
Jan 12, 2008
66
0
Sheffield
Hi Roma

my ma-in-law (who's currently in hospital being assessed) has absolutely no idea what time of day it is most of the time. If she dozes off for a short time, when she wakes up she insists it has to be morning and gets most indignant when I tell her it's afternoon or evening! Nothing I say or do can convince her otherwise.

On a practical note, can you not just unplug the phone at the side of your bed, so you can get some sleep? Or are you worried she might have an emergency and not be able to reach you? In Sheffield, we have a service called City Wide Alarms, where the users have an emergency button to press, which gets them help any time, night or day. The system is that they have a list of designated people they phone if the alarm is triggered and they can't get any response from the user.

I don't know if there's a similar service where you are, but it might be worth considering it if there is. To get round the problem of them contacting you if there is an emergency, you could keep a mobile phone by the bed and give them that number.
 

Roma

Registered User
Jan 15, 2008
122
0
UK
Thank you for all your replies to my post. It's strange but when I was only browsing I felt detached somehow, but now that I've joined I feel straight away as though I've become part of something.

I suppose I'm the sort of person who bottles things up and doesn't want to bother people, even my partner, who is a good support, but can't really understand how I feel. So talking to people who understand is a great relief.

Roma x
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
It's strange but when I was only browsing I felt detached somehow, but now that I've joined I feel straight away as though I've become part of something.


Hi Roma, welcome.:)

That's how we all feel, TP is just like a family, only better, because we all understand each other's problems.

But I warn you, it's addictive!
 

Taffy

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
1,314
0
Hello Roma and welcome to TP,

I am sure that you will find plenty of support here and any advise you offer will be greatly received.

My mum quite early on just didn't bother to use the phone a small part of this was due to her hearing loss but most of it confusion. I have read other posts where they have experienced the constant phone calls and the problems they cause. Hopefully others may come along with advise.

My mum frequently gets mixed up with the time of day and I feel it is all part and parcel of this disease. Take Care, Taffy.
 

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