I took Alan to hospital to see the Consultant Neurologist. It was worth the visit because he sat and explained the results of all the tests which show fairly conclusively that Alan has FTD and not Alzheimers. There is no treatment for FTD and if given Alzheimers Medication it could be damaging.
He said that the speech part of Alan's brain wasn't receiving much oxygen and that's why he's losing his ability to understand words and language. He said it was important that Alan was kept stimulated by being encouraged to talk and do things. Also that pictures would be better than words.
I told him that I now have pictures of everyone and I show them to Alan rather than relying on him to understand the name and that Alan responds very well to the pictures. I also told him that I believed that stimulation was important and that this has now been arranged and Alan is responding to that very well also.
He said he was discharging Alan into the hands of the Psychiatrist and that he wouldn't need to see Alan again. I told him that the Psychiatrist had also discharged Alan and this had been our initial problem that Alan seemed to fall through the system somehow and that it was as if he didn't exist. The consultant said he would write to the Psychiatrist and get it all organised because Alan was entitled to all the services that they had to offer. I said that they told me there were no services that they could offer Alan and that they withdrew the OT after 6 sessions even though it was really benefitting Alan. He said he would sort it.
That was it really and it just confirmed to me that I was doing the right thing with Alan and thank goodness for all the information and support from the Alzheimers Soc. and Talking Point because without it Alan's life would not be anywhere near so good as it is now.
Alan now has a male sitter for 3 of the sits and Alan has been doing some painting which is marvellous to witness. Alan is so proud of his achievement of painting an elephant picture and he is so precise in his brush strokes so that he doesn't go over the lines. I am really happy for him.
Love to you all
He said that the speech part of Alan's brain wasn't receiving much oxygen and that's why he's losing his ability to understand words and language. He said it was important that Alan was kept stimulated by being encouraged to talk and do things. Also that pictures would be better than words.
I told him that I now have pictures of everyone and I show them to Alan rather than relying on him to understand the name and that Alan responds very well to the pictures. I also told him that I believed that stimulation was important and that this has now been arranged and Alan is responding to that very well also.
He said he was discharging Alan into the hands of the Psychiatrist and that he wouldn't need to see Alan again. I told him that the Psychiatrist had also discharged Alan and this had been our initial problem that Alan seemed to fall through the system somehow and that it was as if he didn't exist. The consultant said he would write to the Psychiatrist and get it all organised because Alan was entitled to all the services that they had to offer. I said that they told me there were no services that they could offer Alan and that they withdrew the OT after 6 sessions even though it was really benefitting Alan. He said he would sort it.
That was it really and it just confirmed to me that I was doing the right thing with Alan and thank goodness for all the information and support from the Alzheimers Soc. and Talking Point because without it Alan's life would not be anywhere near so good as it is now.
Alan now has a male sitter for 3 of the sits and Alan has been doing some painting which is marvellous to witness. Alan is so proud of his achievement of painting an elephant picture and he is so precise in his brush strokes so that he doesn't go over the lines. I am really happy for him.
Love to you all
