Hi, my name's David, I look after my mother at home 24/7. She's in the final stages of Alz Dementia. Despite a fairly rapid fall in fluids intake and a massive increase in sleep, she's still very cheerful, although just beginning to display signs of emotional withdrawal. The GP referred us to the local hospice for their Hospice at Home service, and they're going to support us as we keep Mum at home for however long her piece of string happens to be.
Just one thing bothers me: she's never really accepted the diagnosis, and so we have tended to avoid talking about the subject of her death in her presence for fear of frightening her. On the other hand, she has a right to know what's happening, I guess. Against that, her short-term memory is so poor that I fear that, however softly we try to put it, we'll end up distressing her every time we end up having to tell her all over again.
Any ideas/experiences very gratefully accepted
David
Just one thing bothers me: she's never really accepted the diagnosis, and so we have tended to avoid talking about the subject of her death in her presence for fear of frightening her. On the other hand, she has a right to know what's happening, I guess. Against that, her short-term memory is so poor that I fear that, however softly we try to put it, we'll end up distressing her every time we end up having to tell her all over again.
Any ideas/experiences very gratefully accepted
David