New diagnosis

[Starting on a journey]

I claimed on mum's behalf in mid August. In early October they rang and after discussion with me said I needed to enact the poa financial that I hold as mum would not understand. So they sent a letter and mid month I replied enclosing a certified copy of the poa. Today, another letter, appears they don't have the poa. I advised them to check. If they don't find it my sister will have to take the original into her local job centre plus for them to copy....
It's just another task to do when you are trying to be calm and live a quiet life so mum can cope. It's not a lot of money in the scheme of things but it will make my life easier.

 

[canary]

someone needs to be aware of the PWD's needs, either through helping the person themselves or via a care plan. My mother lived on her own and had no help from anyone. I lived a long distance away, and she told both me and SS she didn't need any help (and they believed her). So I could not fill in an AA form.

Fair enough, but I wanted to make sure that anyone reading, didnt think that you had to have an assessment from SS before you could apply for AA

 

[Sirena]

I wanted to make sure that anyone reading, didnt think that you had to have an assessment from SS before you could apply for AA

No, just someone who is well acquainted enough with the person's daily needs to detail them on the AA forms.

 

[SLA]

Thank you everyone for your feedback so far. So things have progressed slightly in that mum has now been diagnosed with Alzheimers (as opposed to a general dementia diagnosis). She has been prescribed the drug Memantine (to be taken daily) to slow down the memory decline. Does anyone have experience of this drug? Does it actually work? I have to say I am quite sceptical about the efficiency of these drugs and whether the benefits outweigh any possible side effects/hassle/distress etc. Also of course as she lives on her own, she won't remember to take them so I am now having to find a separate care agency (as the current one doesn't have extra capacity) to come in every day to give her the medication (in addition to the carers who are already coming in twice a week). My mum is going to hate this and will probably refuse them at some point as she still thinks she's fine and capable of taking any mediation herself and still doesn't see that she needs medication in the first place. If she misses days of taking the tablet, then what happens? I wish they could predict what her rate of decline is going to be so we know where we will be in say 6 months time and where we will need to move her ie to a care home or leave her where she is etc. I know they can't tell you that though sadly!

 

[Sirena]

My mother was offered memantine but they took a long time to decide it if it was right for her, then decided it wasn't. I think though it would be hard to know if it helped, as we wouldn't know how different things would have been without it.

As you say it is difficult to predict the timescale of care needs. One of the reasons for this is because if someone is living with the PWD (person with dementia), they may be able to stay at home for longer than someone who just has carers coming in. Also if the PWD is happy to let the carers help, it will mean they may be able to stay at home for longer than someone who refuses to let them help. Added to which each person will have different behaviours which will put them at risk - they may have frequent falls, or wander outside and get lost, or do things which put them at risk whether that's refusing to eat or setting fire to food under the grill. There comes a point when they are not safe at home, but it's difficult to predict when that will happen - but if they live long enough it will happen. You just have to wait for things to unfold unfortunately.

I don't know if you have seen this, which records the stages of the illness, but it may help (although it isn't pleasant reading). It gives a general overview.

https://www.alzinfo.org/understand-alzheimers/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers/

 

[Starting on a journey]

My mother has been on memantine since late August. I was initially sceptical but now would not like her to stop it. I am not sure if it slows down progression but in mum's case it has reduced her anxiety and made her easier to look after. Gone is the shouting and hand wringing with a reduction in anxiety her life is easier for me to manage.
I think that if you are successful getting your mum to take the drug, once it's in her system it may help with behaviour. Like most tablets I don't think it hurts to miss the odd one but as it is prescribed on a four week stepped dosage the medics would probably advise not to miss a dose of possible.
I hope it helps your mum as much as it's helped mine.