tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post2173766438007969677..comments2023-10-22T05:31:38.203-07:00Comments on God, Mom, Alzheimer's and Me: Grow Up!Linda Bornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07878172863563837367noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-90786225204184297782012-05-19T17:04:58.936-07:002012-05-19T17:04:58.936-07:00Oh, Mike, I'm sorry for what you and your fami...Oh, Mike, I'm sorry for what you and your family are going through. This is a difficult time I know. I have no real advice except to tell you that when I don't answer my mother's knocks, she threatens to call 911! She's never carried through on this threat but I wonder if your wife's stepfather might not be poised to do something like this if he feels so panicked that he's pounding on your doors and windows. The Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) has a 24/7 hotline you might try. Other sources of help: your local council on aging and your local chapter of the Alzheimer Association's support group. I've found the caregiver's message board at the Alzheimer's Association's website quite helpful. Hoping you find the help you need soon, Prayers your way.Linda Bornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07878172863563837367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-41072859385396063682012-05-19T15:31:44.998-07:002012-05-19T15:31:44.998-07:00I am having an issue and it is causing tension bet...I am having an issue and it is causing tension between my wife and I. I would like some feedback if anyone is willing. My wife's mother married a man who is not my wife's father 18 years ago. As they aged we moved into a house next door to them to be thier caregivers. My wife's mother passed away unexpectedly last year and we were left to take care of her husband. He has since been diagnosed with moderate to severe alzheimer's. Again, he lives alone but right next door to us. The main issue we are having is that he now knocks on our door literally every five minutes for no reason. He does this 24/7. It is driving us crazy and to make it worse we home school our children and that is becoming impossible with him constantly disturbing us. We had discussed this and decided the best thing to do was to not answer the door then once he leaves go check on him to make sure he is ok. If we answer the door he barges into the house and interrupts whatever we are doing and it's difficult to get him to leave. Plus I felt that answering the door was encouraging the negative bahaivior. The problem is that when he knocks my wife cant resist the urge to run and open the door. We argue becasue it seems that when the door gets answered he knocks more. We have asked him not to do this but he never remembers. Now if we dont answer the door he goes around the house knocking on all of the windows and yelling out our names. This is a very frustrating situation. We check on him several times a day and make sure all of his physical needs are met but this is really getting hard to do. Please advise if you can.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11678786582701457458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-72764486082269491272012-05-16T07:06:44.690-07:002012-05-16T07:06:44.690-07:00Oh, no worries Dolores, I am not the least incline...Oh, no worries Dolores, I am not the least inclined to beat myself up! The Lord has to usher me to repentance by sneaking in His guidance at 3:00 a.m., when my defenses are down! :) It is my prayer that my willingness to share my shortcomings--ok, sins--will not only help other caregivers heave a sigh of relief (whew, thought I was the only one...) but will also shed light on the true nature of the sin that is so easy to indulge when we feel betrayed and abandoned by a loved one who "should" be taking care of us but who is now demanding that we take care of them.Linda Bornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07878172863563837367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-66748445751391050832012-05-16T05:21:20.787-07:002012-05-16T05:21:20.787-07:00Please don't beat yourself up. You're ...Please don't beat yourself up. You're in the process of learning to have a completely different role with your mother. It's so hard, but time and experience will help you.<br /><br />Keeping you and your Mom in my thoughts and prayers,Doloreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13532665442199865950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-10047299225382229572012-05-15T14:05:39.513-07:002012-05-15T14:05:39.513-07:00Thank you for your blog! I recently found it thro...Thank you for your blog! I recently found it through a friend's blog. Sharing your heart and experiences is so encouraging and helpful to me.neirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03147001869768319689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-88838414540541363712012-05-15T12:58:39.234-07:002012-05-15T12:58:39.234-07:00It's hard to admit our faults and when we do i...It's hard to admit our faults and when we do it really helps us to move forward with new understanding. But we can't always see things until after the fact. We are always going to make mistakes. To really learn from them is the key. You are sharing what others totally understand, because of being there themselves. <br /><br />I check your blog from time to time and always enjoy your writings.<br /><br />Lizzie<br />www.wewerefive.blogspot.comLizziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02178459531117569904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-40108641987147418902012-05-15T08:15:11.475-07:002012-05-15T08:15:11.475-07:00Doris, thank you. I work hard to carry out this m...Doris, thank you. I work hard to carry out this ministry God has given me; I share your heart for caregivers and dementia patients. Sometimes it is difficult to know if those who need these messages are receiving them, and so your words encourage my heart.Linda Bornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07878172863563837367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575488140878213805.post-68278157057702119172012-05-15T04:58:15.015-07:002012-05-15T04:58:15.015-07:00You honesty will be a life-line to many a caregive...You honesty will be a life-line to many a caregiver. I keep spreading the word about your blog to people I know who are caregivers. Even though I have moved from caring for the elderly, my heart remains compassionate for the caregiver and the person with dementia.<br /><br />Bless you!Dorishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04717631401544947399noreply@blogger.com