quote Originally posted by turboguy327: Anybody else had a parent going through alzheimer's or dementia?

Yes. But like women who talk of their pregnancies & deliveries, every story is different, so I doubt mine would help you much. Dad died in 2005, and he's in a better place now, so that gives me peace. I only had to deal with it for a year and a half, unlike the 10 years or so that he had to deal with his mother's dementia. Yeah, it seems to run in my family, so my kids may someday have to decide what to do with me, but I'm hoping to leave in the Rapture before I go off the deep end mentally (not that I'm far from it now).

At least my dad didn't have the paranoia or aggression. He was gentle to the very end. I can't complain. However, he was definitely in a different world. It was my dad's body, but that wasn't him.

My sympathies to all who are dealing with this in their loved ones. Be strong and take care of yourself.

Yea. He for sure isnt himself the past few years. I just found out he thinks there is 17 grand somewhere in the house he cant find. He has been blaming my mom the past few days of stealing it. Now this money may or may not be real. He hasnt been able to drive anywhere by himself for a few months now but we are just hearing of this money. He says 10 grand when he talks about it to others but when he talks to himself which is often he tells whoever he is talking to its 17 grand. Now he did look a few grand about a year ago and it was in a blue plastic thing. He insists its in a blue plastic bin again. I dont know if he has just been stockpiling money or if he has an old memory. My mom is incredibly stressed and I have no idea how to calm her down. She is smoking a ton more. She smokes around 2 packs a day now. It used to be a pack every 2 days.

That's similar to the story my dad kept saying of a bag of money at the bottom of a large pond at a certain apartment community. As we were moving him from there to where I lived, and wouldn't be in town again for a long time, I stopped by there on our way out of town. They didn't even have a pond, but they were just starting to build one. His story was a total fabrication.

My grandmother has Alzheimer's disease. She is well aware of memory loss. I got three Christmas cards from her this year because she kept forgetting that she already sent me one. She also though my dad was going to pick her up for Thanksgiving dinner every night for a week before Thanksgiving. She is in a care home that has a special memory ward. She will likely get moved there soon.

We take it all in stride and no one makes a big deal out of it. When grandma forgets something, we just remind her of it no matter how many times it takes. We consider ourselves very lucky that she did not start to lose her memory until she turn 89. She is 90 now.

I sympathize you. It would be difficult to handle a family member that was losing their memory and stubborn/angry at the same time.

I don't have any special advice for you. Just my well wishes.

Well he says he took it out of his retirement fund from his investment guy. And nobody can talk to that guy but my father. My dad called and blocked everyone or whatever gets done. The finance guy isnt even allowed to talk to my mother. So we have to get something from an attorney soon. Me and my mom dont know how to get my dad to realize he isnt well and let us do his finances. Its not much because he doesnt owe money on anything. Its just his retirement fund.

Do we know yet if it is caused by meds he is currently on an can get off of?

Your family will be in my prayers.

Well I talked with frontal lobe and he says its a long shot its caused by meds. 1 or 2 of the meds he is on can cause some memory loss. But he has more than memory loss as a symptom. I have talked with a specialized dr for this situation. And next time he needs to see a Dr she said to call her and she will come and sit in with his primary if thats what needs to happen. Then his primary can recommend her. She said she would get a hold of his primary herself and set it up.

And thank you for the thoughts and prayers guys.

Read a bit last night. While it is inevitable that we will age, it is never easy to watch. I may not pray much, but last night a said a word or two for your family.

Tony

I just starting to deal with it with my fiancée and she is only 47and it was brought on by cancer with she is fighting again for the third time. She started to show signs last year and now it is getting bad fast.

[This message has been edited by SSG Larry (edited 01-11-2012).]