this really is a nasty disease. My mother is suffering with it. I’ve always heard people talk about it and of course I always felt terrible. I’ve worked in the mental health field for years and have seen the gamut of mental illness and treatment improvements over the years but this Alzheimer’s so far has very little that can be done for it. Early intervention can slow the progress of the disease but little else.
I’m sure some of you read about Pfizer allegedly mishandling information that Enbrel an existing medication for psoriasis and arthritis along with a few other illnesses may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s. It was in WaPo and when I first read the article I did get perturbed at Pfizer and big pharma bit when I looked into it a little more it seems the WaPo article was a bit misleading. It does bring up an interesting link between inflammation and Alzheimer’s.
Anyway it’s just sad seeing someone you love slip away. My mother has her good days but when it’s bad I really need to watch myself as there is just no way to rationalize with someone suffering from the disease. I’m just putting this out as with the prevalence of the illness these days I’m sure others here are effected in some way with it. My grandfather always said the secret to a happy life is good health and a bad memory which certainly makes sense unfortunately Alzheimer’s kind of ruins that fun thought. Last time I visited my mother she handed me this piece of paper someone who was suffering with the illness wrote. It was basically a note for her family saying she didn’t even care if she didn’t remember who they were it was still a comfort that they came and sat with her and held her hand. It was really quite touching I hope I can dig up a copy and post it here.

 

Sorry to hear that your mom and family are dealing with this disease. My father died in 2017 after some years with Alzheimer's. I guess the good news is that he was well into his 80s before being diagnosed and lived to 91. It really sucked to see someone who had such a sharp mind and a lifetime of fascinating experiences drift away like that.
On a horological note, he had some watches that he had bought over the years and cared for greatly, making sure they stayed original, unpolished... His greatest pride was a LeCoultre he had bought with his first paycheck from the Merchant Marines during WW2. After the disease set in, my mom would find all of his watches in his pants pocket, grinding together as he walked around. That LeCoultre is now missing its crystal and hands, and to me it strongly testifies to what the disease did to his mind. I wish I could think of something positive to tell you. I wish you the best.

 

Sorry to hear your mother has this. Use to work for a city on the tree crew. I did the work order crew. On one call a older lady of the house I had the work order for to remove a hanging limb came out and talked to me. Retired people would tell me all there problems. She told me how her husband got lost going to the store due to Alzheimer’s first time I ever heard of it. You never think it will hit your family. Well it hit mine years later. My dad got it he is gone now. I really can’t put in words how I feel for you and your family.

 

Thanks guys I really didn’t right this for sympathy but the comments are appreciated. I was trying to detach more at look just at the illness and it’s effects in general. It is so prevalent these days. Another sad part of it is the financial side. My parents were not wealthy but come retirement they had over 7 figures. I would have loved to see my mother travel and enjoy that money. Instead every penny will be taken by the home I have her in. Don’t get me wrong it is great she has the money to be in a nice situation well cared for. She had a tough go at life and I really wish she was able to enjoy her “Golden” years in another way. But thank god she did have the money to be in a decent private care place.

 

I empathize with all who are caregivers for family members suffering from the ravages of dementia.

My mother has moderate dementia, undiagnosed so we can't say the form it takes. I've read that there are 51 separate forms of dementia besides Alzheimer's. She's taken a distinct turn lately. She and my dad reside in a local nursing facility. He's 92 and she's 83. At this point she has declined physically and mentally to a far greater extent than he has.

I've been a member of the board of directors of the facility for quite a few years, serving in order to devote my time to a worthwhile civic duty yet never considering that I would be moving my own parents to this community and admitting them to the facility. It's a blessing both for them and for our family.

 

My soon to be ex worked with Alzheimer patients for years as a social worker. There are a lot of good day programs to help those who are in the early stages. Hope she can get some help. It is a very nasty disease

 

Dementia is horrible my sympathies go to anyone who has a relative or knows someone who is suffering with it.

My mother is 85 and struggling with the disease her once sharp mind and memory no longer exist, she struggles to recognise family and friends confusing them with people long since passed away.

On a positive front sitting down with my mum and going through her photo albums appears to get parts of her memory working as after a while she can put names to the faces and on occasion remember where they were taken. The sad part is that 5 minutes after putting the albums away she has no recollection of going through them.

I know that she will not improve, I know that each visit will show a deterioration in her condition, I just try to get as much from each visit as I can before dementia takes her completely.