Hello
A couple of weeks before Xmas my mother was diagnosed with AD - although I'd suspected for a quite a long time, confirmation came as a shock. I was told she was very ill. Almost immediately a terrific support team kicked in - she is visited daily by a team of carers and by the team with the meds. She's taking an anti-psychotic and a sedative.
She's been dilusional and paranoid for some time, and her character has changed, yet during the rational times she seemed OK ish.
The meds made a huge difference for a couple of weeks but the conflagrations (?), time slips and general confusion seem to have worsened in the past week or so. My dad died over 30 years ago, yet she's been asking me where he is ....
I live some 250 miles away and as an only child with my own young son and full tiem job, I'm feeling a mixture of guilt and self preservation. She hasn't been the easiest women in the past, and now knowing she really is ill, has made me more patient and tolerant - which I haven't always been. Yet I'm amazed at the reaction from family and friends when I tell them what it is. It seems it was perfectly acceptable to them when they thought she was just being off, or moody, yet when it's explained as a sympton of AD - they're nowhere to be seen.
My mum is refusing respite care, rejecting the meals on wheels and tells everyone she can cope ..., and says the only way she is leaving her house is toes first in a box! If it wasn't for a neighbour she would have starved by now.
Just where do I go from here?
It's my first post and I suspect one of many, apologies for the rambling nature - there's just so much I need to sort out, both practically and emotionally.
Batears
A couple of weeks before Xmas my mother was diagnosed with AD - although I'd suspected for a quite a long time, confirmation came as a shock. I was told she was very ill. Almost immediately a terrific support team kicked in - she is visited daily by a team of carers and by the team with the meds. She's taking an anti-psychotic and a sedative.
She's been dilusional and paranoid for some time, and her character has changed, yet during the rational times she seemed OK ish.
The meds made a huge difference for a couple of weeks but the conflagrations (?), time slips and general confusion seem to have worsened in the past week or so. My dad died over 30 years ago, yet she's been asking me where he is ....
I live some 250 miles away and as an only child with my own young son and full tiem job, I'm feeling a mixture of guilt and self preservation. She hasn't been the easiest women in the past, and now knowing she really is ill, has made me more patient and tolerant - which I haven't always been. Yet I'm amazed at the reaction from family and friends when I tell them what it is. It seems it was perfectly acceptable to them when they thought she was just being off, or moody, yet when it's explained as a sympton of AD - they're nowhere to be seen.
My mum is refusing respite care, rejecting the meals on wheels and tells everyone she can cope ..., and says the only way she is leaving her house is toes first in a box! If it wasn't for a neighbour she would have starved by now.
Just where do I go from here?
It's my first post and I suspect one of many, apologies for the rambling nature - there's just so much I need to sort out, both practically and emotionally.
Batears
