Grandparents with Alzheimer's

[Victor]

Well, my grandmother has had Alzheimer's for a few years now but recently its gotten real bad. She attacks my grandpa because she thinks he's a stranger. He calls us at midnight and my mom (who is already having trouble with her boss) has to go over there and calm her down. Its gotten to the point where she has had to stay over my house for a week and she's into everything moving my stuff. She even started kicking my Playstation 3 because "It was in the way" she also threw some of my Halo 3 stuff out and pushed me away when I taking them from her.

Last night she attacked my mom and started screaming at us all. Claiming the house she was in (our house) was hers and she was going to sell it. My mother told her it was our house and she pushed my mom very hard. I was up until 2am with stomach aches (yelling and whatnot put stress onto my stomach and with Crohns it gets really bad) and I got woken up at 6am because she's walking around moving stuff. I've been forced to sleep on the couch because she is making so much noise; snoring and moving stuff and with the TV on loud.

She's been seriously repetitive and never shuts up. We watched a movie yesterday and she was laughing the whole time. If my mother leaves the room she goes into a panic and starts yelling at me wondering where my mother went. My dad was grumpy last night from a long day 6am -> 8pm and he had some paperwork he needed and couldn't find and then the computer crashed and it was bad. She started whispering and wouldn't talk. I left the room and she was crying saying my dad was no good.

I know this isn't her fault but any ideas on coping and what not?

I forgot to mention she constantly nags me about something. My shirt has a spot on it, my pants are to long, I don't have socks on.

[Massive Attack]

Put her in a home... ? :/

[Dark_Rage00]

^lol.

If that happened to my grandparents, that'd suck. Anyways, try searching for the phone number of some help agency or something. Make sure they take her in and help her. All I can say.

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

Put her in a home... ? :/

We found a home but my grandpa is so fudging stubborn he won't do it.
Also, he's cheap.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by Sir Schmoopy

We found a home but my grandpa is so fudging stubborn he won't do it.
Also, he's cheap.

Make him, it's the best thing to do.
Wouldn't your parents be paying for it? I mean, I'm guessing your grandfather is quite elderly, it's not like he'd be able to pay for it.

[Victor]

He would.
He has 2million saved up.

[Devious]

I work at a Natural Foods store and am thinking that a Holistic herb might be a good way of at least supporting healthy memory in your grandmother. I'm not saying it will cure it (reference DSHEA, FDA restrictions on natural and holistic medicinal claims and contraband), but there are a few products out there that support healthy memory. It's possible that it will help, also, there are a few psychological studies that you can read. I will reference a few later on when I get a hold of them (some are located in any Barne's And Noble under psychology). One I believe is titled Living with Alzheimer's or something similar.

One of the natural herbs that I spoke of would be something like Ashwagandha. It is a natural Indian remedy (referred to as Indian Ginseng) and supports not only Alzheimer's, but supports other bodily functions. If you have a Whole Foods in your area (represent!) then check out the Whole Body department. There are several roots and herbs that focus on memory.

The psychological texts that I mentioned before are books that describe studies on Alzheimer's and how to reduce its progression. Using memory games with her and providing her with other similar tests can sometimes help. The brain can rewire itself over time (reference The Brain That Changes Itself) but it requires proper incentive from both outside sources and peers.

Good luck to you, and if you want to avoid Alzheimer's yourself, do not using baking powder that has aluminum in it. Any metal that gets into your system through the air (smoking out of a can for all you potheads) and through ingestion (again, baking powder with aluminum) can cause small amounts of your brain to generate the Alzheimer's cells.

[Victor]

She's beyond repair. Its progressed so horribly for months and maybe even years of missed medicine. She won't take it and she whines about it. I'm 13 and I take twice the medicine she takes and she's 84, so it kind of bothers me. Also, I seriously doubt she would take it. However, right now she's going through our house looking for tea and cough syrup which we don't have.

[Forever Atlas]

I know what thats like, I know quite a few people with or that had (past tense due to the unfortunate eventuality of it) with Alzheimer's. Its not a nice thing... I know... its quite sad, frustrating for both the person with it, and those who care about them.

All i can say is do your best to support the family, and idk if you believe in God or not, but for many of us... deep heartfelt praying has helped a lot... given us the strength to cope and handle things.

I'd get as much info as you can, do research on what you can do more.

Its not your grandparent's fault, its just a sad "disease" if you want to call it that. As long as you support your family, everyone does their best to help out, then things might be a little easier to handle... though things wont be easy at all.

All I can really suggest is to keep a positive attitude until well ... ya know :/

[nobodyking]

Yeah my grandpa has it and it hits fast and gets much worse. He ws sort of the same way. But like sometimes he would walk off in public or just straight out of the house and he would get real pissed off and say he was gonna walk home and he would just leave. Or he would get pissed off and pull out a knife on people. He has done it do my aunt and she hid in the bathroom and he slapped my cousin out of rage. Now he has basiclly lost speech and the ability to walk and he is bed ridden for the rest of his life. He went into a diabetic coma and then he lost speech and stuff the best way to cope is basclly for me was just trying to cherrish the time you have while they can still hold a convorsation and yeah. It was really sad becuase ihis twin brother died and we all went to the funeral and he had no idea what was happening and for like literlly 1 minute it seemed like he knew what was going on cuz his eyes got all teary and he started breathing hard then he went back to just sitting there. I hope your grandma doesnt get as bad as my grandpa. I dont know if your a christian but we held fasts and prayed and stuff so yeah.

[Miss Murder]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

Put her in a home... ? :/

For real. :/

The only thing you can possibly do that would help is to put her in a home. Even if your dad is stubborn about it, that would be the safest thing for your grandmother's well being and those around her - including you, your mother and father, etc. If she's going around attacking people and not taking her medicine, that's easily the only option.

[Victor]

My dad wants her in the home. Its my grandfather who has the legal say in it. :|

[snowdog]

You need to remember that although her illness is irritating and difficult for him, she is still the person he loves. It must be devastating for someone you love to deny all knowledge of you, and your family. He's probably reluctant to let her go. Your parents are most likely feeling the same, but they're probably going to lean towards putting her in a home.

I hope this works out well, as it's such a devastating disease. Your parents and grandfather have the say in this, and I'm sure you know they're focused on what's best for her.

<3

[Victor]

Yeah, so she left now but before she did (today) she ate almost all of your sweets.
She got to comfortable staying here. She opened our freezer took out the ice cream and ate all of it. Then she took out the hershey's chocolate my mom got for a present and ate them. :>

Any good food hiding tips?

Edit// I'm sorry if that sounds a bit selfish but a lot of the food is for my special diet and its one of few things I can eat a decent amount of and not get sick.

[Victor]

Aaanddd she lasted about 10 hours at my grandpa's house until she went insane against him.

So she's staying here again. Now, she's just obsessively moving stuff around and getting into everything.
She was kicking my dad laptop he uses for work and now she's going through paperwork. I can't get to sit down and watch TV + she wants coffee and I can't make it.