Alzheimers- How much help.

FLAPJACK

My Dad had Alzheimers...it's so very hard on everyone, I live 250 miles away from where he was and I must say that the Social Services girls were geat.

As far as the medication goes, as someone on here has said the pharmacy did everything and one og the "girls" would collect the tablets in the "dosett" box for the week and hide it in the kitchen. Everything they do and administer was noted too so i could read what had been going on during the week when i wasn't there.

I has a "key safe" fitted to the outside wall too which enabled "the girls" to enter the house, as it got to a point that he wouldn't answer the door..its really safe as you make up a pin number and let them have it.

All the best.

SandraScarlett

I fully agree with the suggestions made, especially contacting SS and arranging a meeting. My DH has Alzheimers, and I was in the depths of despair. I contacted the Alzheimers Society by email, and was told to talk to my Social Worker, which I didn't have.

But once I contacted the council, not only did they arrange a visit to suit me, but when they came, they gave me a directory of care facilities in the area. I was able to get a few hours care for DH at a Day Centre, for a few times a week, and it's wonderful!

There was also a lot of help for those who live alone (obviously DH has me) but it's there if you need it. I had visits from Age Concern and Crossroads Care as well, and though I don't need their help at the moment, all DH's details are logged with them, should we need them in future.

I wish the very best of luck.

xx

Savvy_Sue

SandraScarlett wrote: »

I had visits from Age Concern and Crossroads Care as well, and though I don't need their help at the moment, all DH's details are logged with them, should we need them in future.

Oh how I WISH I could get MIL to find out what help is available locally. She says they're fine at the moment, and up to a point they are - but what happens when they're NOT fine and need help in a hurry?

kinksfan

hi my mother needs to go into care as a result of alzheimers which was diagnosed 3 years ago. Twelve years ago she signed over her house to myself ad siblings. We are unsure if the local authority will oblige us to sell the house to fund her care. Anyone with experience in this?

Mojisola

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Oh how I WISH I could get MIL to find out what help is available locally. She says they're fine at the moment, and up to a point they are - but what happens when they're NOT fine and need help in a hurry?

During the initial meeting we had, arrangements were set up for an emergency plan for Mum's care if I was suddenly unable to care for her. Perhaps you could use this point to get the meeting organised. The social workers needed to know all about Mum's daily routine, medication, likes and dislikes, etc. With that information gathered about your FIL, they would be able to suggest other regular options to your MIL.

Once the social workers are involved and actually offering things which would help him as well as her, she may unbend a little.

One of the most important thing for carers to realise is that you have to look after yourself as much as possible in order to be well enough to look after the other person otherwise their care can suddenly be taken out of your hands and arrangements made by someone who has no knowledge of the sick person's likes and dislikes and daily needs.

Savvy_Sue

The trouble is we don't live that close, and only see the in-laws a few times a year. We are therefore more aware of changes from one visit to the next than MIL and BIL who are there all the time and adjust without realising.

Something has happened which might enable me to talk about this more strongly with MIL, but I still don't know if she'll accept that finding out what's available would be sensible, even if neither she nor FIL think they actually need any help or support yet.

Mojisola

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Something has happened which might enable me to talk about this more strongly with MIL, but I still don't know if she'll accept that finding out what's available would be sensible, even if neither she nor FIL think they actually need any help or support yet.

It's so difficult when you can see that someone needs help but they can't see it themselves. I really sympathise.

I found it was one thing that made looking after my parents much harder than looking after my children. With the children, I could see a problem and put a solution in place; with my parents, I had to find ways to nudge them in the right direction and stand back and wait until they accepted there was a problem.

Some people can't come to terms with their increasing needs and you just have to wait on the sidelines until an emergency forces changes - very stressful and more difficult for everyone involved because changes that could have been put into place gradually and with plenty of thought have to be imposed suddenly.

Old_Git

cheepskate wrote: »

Hi
My father has alzheimers. He has carers in each am. and some pm. They are worse than useless sometimes, but at least he has 10 mins a day of someone being there. his present carer seems a bit on the ball and will do his care needs properly

No family near him, we are trying to move him, but not so easy as there is little points for support needs, but loads if you cannot get into a bath???.

We have major issues when anything new is in place, ie new tablets. How much care he gets/lack of is just starting to show.

Problem seems to be he is still able to do things, but not ifkwim.

He has tablets to take , but he is taking too many , even tho we tell him not to take them until either we or carer calls , he forgets and obviously thinks he hasnt taken them so re -takes them (3 when he should only have 1). As these are new ones, that he will only have for a short time , he kind of forgets the routine.

Things came to a crisis this week and Dr has said the people in place ( assume he means SS and ot) are not doing proper care. This is a different doc to what my father sees, but still in the same practice, his own doc has no input in his care etc and only sees him when we make appointments..

I never hear /see Social Services and have no end of bother when i need help from them, his worker does nothing and actually hinders my fathers care(long story) I dont think they ever review (never mind see ) my fathers care etc.
O.T will help out if i ask, and have been good when i ask but in general, I dont know what i can ask for or what they should actually be doing.

My father lives on his own ,so little problems can become big such as his medication.

Anyone know what help we can get .

he shouldnt be doing his own meds .Get the carers to do them all the time then he will get used to it .Its called Supervised meds.. You need to speak to SS manager .
How is he managing with meals .Carers visits are two fold ,
first is for care ,washing meds ect
the second is to check everything is ok, that the client hasnt fallen or need help.
Ask for a copy off the care plan ,this is what the carer will go by .

Errata

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

The trouble is we don't live that close, and only see the in-laws a few times a year. We are therefore more aware of changes from one visit to the next than MIL and BIL who are there all the time and adjust without realising.

Something has happened which might enable me to talk about this more strongly with MIL, but I still don't know if she'll accept that finding out what's available would be sensible, even if neither she nor FIL think they actually need any help or support yet.

Would it be worth approaching things from the direction of what will happen if BIL is on holiday abroad and MIL is taken ill and needs to be hospitalised / breaks a limb and needs looking after herself?

Savvy_Sue

Errata wrote: »

Would it be worth approaching things from the direction of what will happen if BIL is on holiday abroad and MIL is taken ill and needs to be hospitalised / breaks a limb and needs looking after herself?

Possibly: she has a hospital appointment while we're there, and that's the 'thing' which might make that conversation easier. She was successfully treated for bowel cancer a few years ago, but there's still follow up from that, and there may be treatment needed following this appointment.

We've already done BIL on holiday abroad and FIL being in hospital! I found that worrying enough: we rallied the troops and between DH, DS1 and me we made sure she wasn't on her own. She had a bit of panic when her mobile phone rang while she was on her way home the first evening (before she'd told us!), went to answerphone and she didn't know how to retrieve the message, or who it was from.