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    • CommentAuthorRae Ann
    • CommentTimeJul 8th 2008
     
    Okey the camels back was broke some what today. I called our Alzheimers Clinic to see if we could get in early for our yearly visit, as I was concerned about situations with my husband. I explained these to the nurse and we are scheduled to go in on 7/18, 3 months early. About an hour later our Clinical Social Worker called and told me that those affected by Early On Set seem to progress much faster. Of the 5 things they tested for last October, Language, Visual Spacial, Memory Executive Functioning and Attention, my husband scored severe in all except language where he scored Mild/Moderate.

    I was told he could no longer be left alone, I need to get a tracking braclete and I need to get a lawyer quick. I have a DPOA, HIPPA and Medical Directive, but we have not done the Estate Planning Part yet. I was told I needed a Medical Lawyer, then I was told I needed Elder Law Lawyer etc. Lawyers Lawyers everywhere, is there one lawyer who can do everything I apparently need done?

    I was told that they can't take my home (we still have a mortgage) and they can't take my care (we have a loan), but they maybe could put a lien on them. They can take his SSD, Pension and the IRA, not sure about the life insurance etc. Just want am I suppose to pay all these bills with?

    Any suggestions?

    Rae Ann
    • CommentAuthorAdmin
    • CommentTimeJul 8th 2008 edited
     
    Rae Ann,

    You need a Certified Elder Law Attorney. Empahsis on the "certfied" in "Elder Law". Other lawyers will tell you they know the elder laws, and can handle your case, but there are specialists in all professions for a reason. I know you and your husband are not elderly, but it doesn't matter. That's the kind of lawyer you need to deal with your issues.

    Click this link to find one in your area.

    http://www.nelf.org/findcela.asp

    joang
    • CommentAuthorKitty
    • CommentTimeJul 8th 2008
     
    In most communities they have legal aid clinics where lawyers work for free (pro bono) and I would check that out, since you are unable to continue to pay for the attorney fees. Wishing you the best of luck.
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      CommentAuthorJudithKB*
    • CommentTimeJul 8th 2008
     
    Rae Ann, may I ask how old your DH is? My DH has early onset too and scored just about like your DH did on those tests. Did they tell you what stage he was??...they just told me Moderate to Severe.
    • CommentAuthorRae Ann
    • CommentTimeJul 8th 2008
     
    Judith, I was educated today. I always thought there were 7 steps to Alzheimers, this is true for those with Alzheimers, but untrue for those with Early On Set. Our Clinical Social Worker at UC Davis told me today that for Early On Set there are 3 leves, mild, moderate and severe. My husband is 54, and was just diagnoised this past October. I was also told that the younger you are with Alzheimers the faster it progresses, but they don't know why. I guess I'll learn more in 2 weeks when we make the long trip to Sacramento.
    Rae Ann
    • CommentAuthorjav*
    • CommentTimeJul 9th 2008
     
    my dh is 52 and he also has eoad. he was ofically diagnosed about 18 months ago,but he was already on meds for ad. i just kept hoping it was something else,something curable. jav
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      CommentAuthorStarling*
    • CommentTimeJul 9th 2008
     
    Rae Ann, some doctors use 7 steps, some 3. No two patients are the same. And dementia is a set of diseases, not just one, and some of the diseases in the set progress differently from some of the others. It is just the way it is.

    A while back Jane sent me to a bunch of different web pages that had different sets of symptoms attached to the 7 stages. Not so much different as extended examples of symptoms. It was very eye opening. My husband is all over the chart. Physically he is probably at a 3 or 4, cognitively at a late 5 and verbally at an early 6 with occasional stage 6 symptoms showing up when you least expect them. Like I said, all over the place. He is 70 and progressing so quickly that our daughter saw a change in the 3 weeks between her last two visits.