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Introductions: Are you caring for someone with dementia?
Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: Aug 16 2:33pm | Replies (762)Comment receiving replies
My husband is having more and more cognitive problems - no official diagnose yet but the diminishing ability to be able to do things and remember things. He is having an especially difficult time with technical items - computer, remotes, hearing aids, etc. He loves writing and is still very good at it so I don't want to take his computer away from him. But he goes to dangerous sites - has become a victim of scams, etc. He also gets very angry when the computer doesn't work as he wants (according to him Dell is sabotaging him). I know the ability to write his blogs and stories help his mental attitude so try and help de-bug his computer as much as possible.
He stays in his recliner from the moment he gets up in the morning until bedtime (except for a lot of potty runs). Very weak physically, except when he grabs me! Strong hands. He weighs about 200 pounds now - lost weight - and I'm under 110. At age 88 he also has Stage 3b of CKD.
He is also good at hiding problems from doctor and other people. Sometimes I think I'm seeing things!
Replies to "My husband is having more and more cognitive problems - no official diagnose yet but the..."
Julie, I'm glad to meet you here. I think you will get many good ideas from others here, some of which might click with you and be of help to you in your caregiving role.
My wife would often appear to "hide" things. But instead she was doing what she had always done, put things away in a safe place. We often ended up on a "treasure hunt". When things weren't where they belonged, we realized they could be anywhere (on a high shelf, under the bed, in a closet, in a drawer in a chest). It was very exasperating for me, her caregiver. It helped for me to remember that she wasn't doing it on purpose.
You probably have already done this but just in case, I strongly recommend having a neurologist do a number of tests to see if the situation may be treatable. The tests can rule out vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, depression, and many other things. Then the focus can be on trying to get a more clear diagnosis of the condition.
My last thought is that I hope you take good care of yourself. Doing that will be an important thing you can do for your loved one.
Frank
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Julie, I'm so glad you found your way over to the Caregivers: Dementia group. I can see you want to learn more about supporting husband as he faces cognitive issues and the challenges of declining ability and increasing frustration with the technical tools like hearing aids, remote controls, computers etc. Allow me to introduce you to a few members here like @teacher502 @rudie @debbraw @tsc @jen26 @jimmars51 @fwentz @tunared to name a few fellow caregivers.
Julie, you mention that he is good at hiding things from doctors. Has he been assessed for mild cognitive impairment? Do other family members or friends notice changes?