New diagnosis- teenage children-advice please

Pb46

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
24
0
Ulverston, Cumbria
Hi my Husband has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. He's 50. To be honest I have so many questions not sure where to start. My main concern is our 2 daughters, age 18 and 15. Is there any specific support out there we can access for them?
Doctor has made this diagnosis from MRI, but from what I've googled would he not need further scans before the type of dementia diagnosed ?
Also been told that progress may be rapid, again thought this was individual, what's the general thinking in this. I know I should have asked doctor this but was too stunned.
Sorry to ask so much, this was a totally expected but still shocking diagnosis, except for hubby who is totally relieved.
Thanks in anticipation for all your support x
 

jaymor

Registered User
Jul 14, 2006
15,604
0
South Staffordshire
Hello and welcome to Talking Point.

You must all be devastated by the diagnosis.

There are two sites that your daughters might find useful

1. www.babble.carers.org This site is aimed at children up to the age of 16

2. www.matter.carers.org. This site for 16-25 year olds.

As to how the disease will progress is uncertain. Every person is different, the best bit of advice is to take it a day at a time. You can't change yesterday and you can't second guess tomorrow so make the most of each today.

I am sure all of you will gain from using Talking Point, so keep the questions coming, lots of help available and every one happy to listen.
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,063
0
Salford
Hi Pb, welcome to TP
I can actually feel the stress you're feeling in the way you've written your post so I'll start by saying keep as calm as you can.
There are a million and one things you need to find out about but time is on your side (in spite of what your friend said) there are people on here diagnosed many years ago (16 is the longest I can remember reading) who still post coherently and amusingly on a regular basis.
No two peoples circumstance or progression with this disease are the same, some are older, mortgage free with a pension and grown up children and whilst my wife was diagnosed at about 55 you're husband is very much at the young end of the spectrum.
If your husband is "relieved" then that seems to imply he still has a reasonable amount of capacity so there are some things you need to do while he can still legally do them.
There are benefits he can get, he need to plan how he will: stop working (assuming he is) things like a Lasting Power of Attorney so you can stand in for him on medical and financial issues, deciding if you have a house and/or a mortgage what will happen...
I could go on but right now I feel I might swamp you with too much information.
It's a bit of a steep learning curve and we're all here to help and support you.
I personally don't know of any help available for your daughters other than if the schools or colleges they go to has a counselling service and there may be something local if you google the name of the Local Authority and Alzheimer's then see they have to offer, obviously there will be a lot less if you're out in the sticks compared to a town or city.
Keep posting, we're all here to help.
K
 

Owly

Registered User
Jun 6, 2011
537
0
Since all the latest research being reported talks about Alzheimer's being caused by various infective agents, doing all you can to boost your husband's immune system may make a real difference as to how it progresses, and may even lead to some improvements.

There was a discussion yesterday -

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?90665-Another-Research

Just adding garlic (a potent anti-microbial) may help!

Also, everything that improves his circulation will help with whatever kind of dementia it may be. Exercise, olive oil, turmeric/ginger/cayenne, dark chocolate, all the berry fruits, pomegranate......etc.

We are lucky there is so much information at our fingertips.

Hopefully you have looked at any medicines your husband may be taking as some list memory loss as a side-effect (statins for example).

Best of luck.:)
 

Pb46

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
24
0
Ulverston, Cumbria
Hi Pb, welcome to TP
I can actually feel the stress you're feeling in the way you've written your post so I'll start by saying keep as calm as you can.
There are a million and one things you need to find out about but time is on your side (in spite of what your friend said) there are people on here diagnosed many years ago (16 is the longest I can remember reading) who still post coherently and amusingly on a regular basis.
No two peoples circumstance or progression with this disease are the same, some are older, mortgage free with a pension and grown up children and whilst my wife was diagnosed at about 55 you're husband is very much at the young end of the spectrum.
If your husband is "relieved" then that seems to imply he still has a reasonable amount of capacity so there are some things you need to do while he can still legally do them.
There are benefits he can get, he need to plan how he will: stop working (assuming he is) things like a Lasting Power of Attorney so you can stand in for him on medical and financial issues, deciding if you have a house and/or a mortgage what will happen...
I could go on but right now I feel I might swamp you with too much information.
It's a bit of a steep learning curve and we're all here to help and support you.
I personally don't know of any help available for your daughters other than if the schools or colleges they go to has a counselling service and there may be something local if you google the name of the Local Authority and Alzheimer's then see they have to offer, obviously there will be a lot less if you're out in the sticks compared to a town or city.
Keep posting, we're all here to help.
K

Thanks, that's really helpful and your support is great. Yes was very stressed when posted, a little calmer now but still a little daunted by what is ahead of us.
 
Last edited:

Pb46

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
24
0
Ulverston, Cumbria
Hello and welcome to Talking Point.

You must all be devastated by the diagnosis.

There are two sites that your daughters might find useful

This site is aimed at children up to the age of 16

2. This site for 16-25 year olds.

As to how the disease will progress is uncertain. Every person is different, the best bit of advice is to take it a day at a time. You can't change yesterday and you can't second guess tomorrow so make the most of each today.

I am sure all of you will gain from using Talking Point, so keep the questions coming, lots of help available and every one happy to listen.

Thank you so much, love the quote about living for today, a message I'm trying to live by
 

Pb46

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
24
0
Ulverston, Cumbria
Since all the latest research being reported talks about Alzheimer's being caused by various infective agents, doing all you can to boost your husband's immune system may make a real difference as to how it progresses, and may even lead to some improvements.

There was a discussion l]

Just adding garlic (a potent anti-microbial) may help!

Also, everything that improves his circulation will help with whatever kind of dementia it may be. Exercise, olive oil, turmeric/ginger/cayenne, dark chocolate, all the berry fruits, pomegranate......etc.

We are lucky there is so much information at our fingertips.

Hopefully you have looked at any medicines your husband may be taking as some list memory loss as a side-effect (statins for example).

Best of luck.:)
Thanks for your help, Hubby has suffered with poor circulation for years so we are already well ahead with him taking things to improve circulation. He takes garlic, Ginko Bilbao ( or whatever it's called) Nifedipine, regularly eats dark chic and once a week has red wine.
Apart from circulation, and now Alzheimer's he's relatively fit and healthy. Thanks for your help it's much appreciated.
 

Rubylou

Registered User
Jan 20, 2015
18
0
Cambridgeshire
Hello pb46
Gosh the similarities! My hubby was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's 18 months ago aged 59, we too have daughters 17 and 15 !
The last say 3/4 years have been very hard in lots of ways , trying to think of so many things and seeing to everyone's needs is just so hard let alone with a diagnosis of this on top! Lots of people are on here and offer all types of support even just to listen if you need to sound off a bit!
Other comments have said main things to do so won't repeat them, but if you want to ask anything else , along with others I am here to answer what I can!
Sending hugs
 

Pb46

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
24
0
Ulverston, Cumbria
Hello pb46
Gosh the similarities! My hubby was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's 18 months ago aged 59, we too have daughters 17 and 15 !
The last say 3/4 years have been very hard in lots of ways , trying to think of so many things and seeing to everyone's needs is just so hard let alone with a diagnosis of this on top! Lots of people are on here and offer all types of support even just to listen if you need to sound off a bit!
Other comments have said main things to do so won't repeat them, but if you want to ask anything else , along with others I am here to answer what I can!
Sending hugs

Thanks for your reply. How have you found things with your kids? Struggling to find support for them on here. I know there's carer charities but thought maybe there would be a Facebook group or something similar for teenagers. However don't get me wrong not knocking Alzheimer's society that have been amazing. Hospital just told us diagnosis and sent us on our way. Had a letter saying a nurse is coming to see us in April but that's a whole month after diagnosis!!! I needed info straight away. Still reeling from diagnosis and not sure of what to expect in the future but feel that thanks to Alzheimer's society I'm starting to piece together info xx