I've been lurking for awhile and decided to post because the thread on "Things I wish someone had told me back in Stage 2-3" really rang true for us too. I just discovered this board too late to learn from that thread, bc by the time I found it we were well past those stages...so it goes.
Could y'all provide the same kinds of tips for Stage 5 (or should I be combining 4/5? Or 5/6?) that you did for Stages 2-3?
Dear Flouncy--I wish I could help you. I think my DH is in stage 5 but I don't know that for sure. I called his PCP today and asked if there was something else I should be doing or something I shouldn't be doing. They told me to bring him in next week for a little checkup. They will do another B-12 test and another MME to see if there has been any more decline. I know there has been but I can't explain exactly what it is.
Good luck. Keep posting and I will hopefully learn from the posts you receive. :)
Most of the stuff you wish you knew is in the earlier thread. No on knows that they have the disease in stages 2 and 3.
The only thing I can suggest is that get ALL the paperwork in order while he can still sign his name. That will go at some point in stage 6. At this point my husband has all the stage 5 symptoms and a few speech/cognitive symptoms of stage 6 and can still sign his name and read.
By all the paperwork I am including not just things like a POA and medical directives and wills, I'm including going to the bank and getting their POA signed (too late for me on that one), getting the Medicare and Insurance Companies POA signed (got both of those), etc. If you can get him to cooperate with getting your name as primary on the utilities that would be good as well.
I think I may have read your post a couple of hours ago and then - magically - came up with the very same advice about an hour later on another discussion thread. I apologize, it wasn't done consciously - hey, but on a positive note at least I'm able to retain information.
Funny, I never interpreted that thread as being for tips to use with Stage 2-3 patients ... I always thought it meant tips I wish I'd known about way back in the early stages so I'd be ready when they finally happened to my husband. Many of those "things" are appropriate for my stage 5 / traces of stage 6 husband, some I haven't had to use yet.
Anyway, if you go to the Home page and scroll maybe a third of the way down, in the green menu on the left you'll see a big yellow star and "Caregiver Tips". This is an organized compilation of some of the tips that have been posted here, and I'm sure you'll find it very helpful.
I think we are at stage 3 & 4. My DH was diagnosed with EOAD 5 years ago at age 50 and has been doing pretty well holding his own. We are experiencing a slow, progressive decline.
Sunshyne, I looked at that the stage 2-3 thread and agree that it doesn't pertain to the AD 2-3 stage really. People who have familial EOAD would start questioning in stage 2 and probably be experiencing psychological anxiety. In stage 3 it would be interfering with their work etc. I may go back and post on that with some help from my DH. I think stage 2&3 is that long early pre-diagnosis stage that everyone talks about where, in retrospect, they realize something was wrong but they weren't sure at the time.
People with other types of dementia may not even have the same symptoms at stages 3-5. Especially FTD or stroke patients.
iggy, good advice is good advice. I saw your version of it on the other thread and nodded my head, yes, we all need to do that stuff. Some of it I had never even heard of, like the Medicare POA until someone mentioned it here. The insurance POA I'd already dealt with.
Repitition is a good thing when the advice is good.
Welcome, Flouncy - - My DH is late in stage 5. This site makes us think about things that some of us had no idea we would need to consider. I hadn't thought about eliminating certain medications or refusing certain medical/surgical treatments until I read some of the posts here. For instance, why should my DH have to get any more cardiac stress tests if there would be no sense in putting him through more surgery? It's good to know there are options.
DH is going in for a checkup in another 2 weeks. I agree. No surgery and a minimum of meds. Our dr is very good at prescribing preventative alternataives (diet, exercise, etc.) He's a DO. I really like this guy. He's so kind and he has so much time to devote to DH when he comes in. I just listens so attentively and DH is always comforted by him.
Welcome, Flouncy! There is a lot of advice for stage 5 and 6 on that other thread...I just added number 77 the other day..and my husband is late stage 6. If you have specific questions, we'll be glad to tell you what we do (or did) through that particular event.
Hi Flouncy! I agree with Mary. Some of the tips help in all stages. Bigtreemurphy is an excellent site if & when your LO becomes bedridden. Good pointers about changing bedding and "whiteys" And of course there is Queen divvi>>>. Yes there don't seem to be a specific stage. Its usually 2/3, 3/4, 4/5 etc. As you have noticed venting is popular here too. Keep posting
Welcome Flouncy- glad to see you are here and can add to the discussions and or read for any info you need. everyone here has been more or less in the same shoes as those here at some point or another. you will be comforted knowing there are ears to listen. divvi