Youngest sufferer?
- Thread starter ishard
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I've heard stories of teenagers diagnosed but have never had it confirmed.
I'd be wondering what the diagnosis was - that is, if it is dementia, which particular form.
There is a girl of 8 featured in the latest Alzheimer's Society "Living with Dementia" newsletter who has Niemann-Pick disease type C, a very rare disorder that leads to dementia.
You can download the magazine from http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/downloads/LWD_march_08_lowres.pdf
I'd be wondering what the diagnosis was - that is, if it is dementia, which particular form.
There is a girl of 8 featured in the latest Alzheimer's Society "Living with Dementia" newsletter who has Niemann-Pick disease type C, a very rare disorder that leads to dementia.
You can download the magazine from http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/downloads/LWD_march_08_lowres.pdf
my mother was diagnosed when she was 34ish she is now 44 and doesnt even know who i am, she is in the later stages of alzheimers. i think in age wise there is no age but the severity of how far along the person is in the disease. you could be diagnosed with having the 'gene', or so they say, at any age,l but the actual onset of the disease may not rear its ugly age for years to come.
Youngest sufferer with Alzheimers
I just finished some browsing on the internet and found that one site claimed the youngest verified person with Alzheimer's was 27 years old. Another site said a person can have Alzheimer's for as long as 10 or more years before symptoms actually show.
I am an activity director in a skilled nursing facility with a locked Alzheimer's unit and we just admitted a young peson(age39..average age on the unit is 75) who's sister and mother both died in their early 40's of Alzheimer's related concerns. The family told us the client was diagnosised with it 7 years ago at age 32.
I was trying to find appropriate activities for this person when I stumbled on to this site. Any suggestions are appreciated. thank You.
I just finished some browsing on the internet and found that one site claimed the youngest verified person with Alzheimer's was 27 years old. Another site said a person can have Alzheimer's for as long as 10 or more years before symptoms actually show.
I am an activity director in a skilled nursing facility with a locked Alzheimer's unit and we just admitted a young peson(age39..average age on the unit is 75) who's sister and mother both died in their early 40's of Alzheimer's related concerns. The family told us the client was diagnosised with it 7 years ago at age 32.
I was trying to find appropriate activities for this person when I stumbled on to this site. Any suggestions are appreciated. thank You.
Hello jbcharlie3
I notice you are not being inundated with suggestions. It is probably because regardless of age, many of us have tried and failed to find activities to stimulate and occupy those we care for.
Apart from listening to music, the only way I can stop my husband withdrawing into himself is to be there on a one to one level. As soon as he is left to himself, he switches off.
So if he is reading the paper, I need to be there so he can read points of interest out to me, so we can discuss headlines.
If he is watching the television I need to be there to remind him the programme has not finished, but the commercials are on.
If he is watching his favourite sport, I need to tell him which side is which, and who is who.
If he is listening to music I need to be there to tell him who is singing, where they come from, whether or not they are married, if they have children and whether they are alive or dead.
I have tried simple board games, snakes and ladders, draughts, but he doesn`t see the point and loses interest.
I have shown him old photos but he doesn`t recognize the people.
I have tried sorting games but his organizational skills have gone.
He will help with food preparation. He will wash dishes. He will set the table.
So I`m afraid it`s trial and error. I would say any activity is appropriate if it holds the interest of those we care for for any length of time.
I notice you are not being inundated with suggestions. It is probably because regardless of age, many of us have tried and failed to find activities to stimulate and occupy those we care for.
Apart from listening to music, the only way I can stop my husband withdrawing into himself is to be there on a one to one level. As soon as he is left to himself, he switches off.
So if he is reading the paper, I need to be there so he can read points of interest out to me, so we can discuss headlines.
If he is watching the television I need to be there to remind him the programme has not finished, but the commercials are on.
If he is watching his favourite sport, I need to tell him which side is which, and who is who.
If he is listening to music I need to be there to tell him who is singing, where they come from, whether or not they are married, if they have children and whether they are alive or dead.
I have tried simple board games, snakes and ladders, draughts, but he doesn`t see the point and loses interest.
I have shown him old photos but he doesn`t recognize the people.
I have tried sorting games but his organizational skills have gone.
He will help with food preparation. He will wash dishes. He will set the table.
So I`m afraid it`s trial and error. I would say any activity is appropriate if it holds the interest of those we care for for any length of time.
Hi
My husband is in an EMI unit, and they have an excellent activities co-ordinator, but I have to say there is no-one as young as your resident.
What she does with the more active residents is give them as much physical activity as possible, to keep their mobility for as long as possible.
They help her in the garden, and stocking up the bird feeders. They play bowls, and she takes them out in the minibus to the coast, where they can have a walk and an icecream. They go to tea dances, though that probably that wouldn't appeal to younger people.
She also takes them out individually for walks or to the shops.
My husband is in an EMI unit, and they have an excellent activities co-ordinator, but I have to say there is no-one as young as your resident.
What she does with the more active residents is give them as much physical activity as possible, to keep their mobility for as long as possible.
They help her in the garden, and stocking up the bird feeders. They play bowls, and she takes them out in the minibus to the coast, where they can have a walk and an icecream. They go to tea dances, though that probably that wouldn't appeal to younger people.
She also takes them out individually for walks or to the shops.
This unfortunate child (and her family) were featured on the Radio2 Jeremy Vine show at lunchtime today.Bruce said:
To jbcharlie3: possible pastimes surely depend on the mental & physical abilities/limitations of the young person concerned. Perhaps you could give us some idea of these? (Would suggest on a new thread, which would perhaps benefit other TP members in search of occupations/distractions for their loved ones)
Sorry - I have just found this thread http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?p=146519#post146519 posted by Bruce.
If she can still read, things like crosswords, quizwords, scrabble (I believe you can large print versions if that helps);
If her vision is good, but the ability to read is a problem, then videos, video games, jigsaw puzzles, mah jhong (where you pair up identical tiles) I think you can get Mah Jhong sets which use things like national flags in place of the original pieces with Chinese symbols. If she can use a computer, that would open up many other possibilities not available to computer-phobics!
Regards
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Activities for younger people with Alzheimer's
I thank all of you for your suggestions. I have found out from my resident's spouse that he is into hard-rock-n-roll so we got him headphones and an mp3 player and some hand held video games but his eyesight is not good and his attention span is very brief. As someone said in a previous thread, it is hit or miss and unfortunately we do not have the staff to provide constant 1:1 activity. We do what we can and try to get to everyone by use of groups. However, this is where my problem comes into play with this younger person because he still knows he is much younger than the peers he has been placed with and he often declines to join the groups.
I thank all of you for your suggestions. I have found out from my resident's spouse that he is into hard-rock-n-roll so we got him headphones and an mp3 player and some hand held video games but his eyesight is not good and his attention span is very brief. As someone said in a previous thread, it is hit or miss and unfortunately we do not have the staff to provide constant 1:1 activity. We do what we can and try to get to everyone by use of groups. However, this is where my problem comes into play with this younger person because he still knows he is much younger than the peers he has been placed with and he often declines to join the groups.
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Hi,
I was wondering whether or not there are specific places available for young suffers who do not have the support around them for 24 hour care to be carried out by family and loved ones. I realise there are specialist care homes, however these are primarily for the elderly. Are there any similar places for the young?
I was wondering whether or not there are specific places available for young suffers who do not have the support around them for 24 hour care to be carried out by family and loved ones. I realise there are specialist care homes, however these are primarily for the elderly. Are there any similar places for the young?
I think in general the answer is no!
There is very little provision for younger people with dementia, either for daycare, respite care, or full-time residential care.
More and more younger sufferers are being identified, and their needs are going to have to be met.
There is very little provision for younger people with dementia, either for daycare, respite care, or full-time residential care.
More and more younger sufferers are being identified, and their needs are going to have to be met.
