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Profile picture for SusanEllen66 Susan McMichael

Support Group for Those of Us Living With Mild Dementia

Posted by SusanEllen66 Susan McMichael @SusanEllen66, Sep 18, 2023

I know there is a Dementia Caregiver Support Group.

I would like to have a group for people like me. I am entering the Mild Dementia phase from Mild Cognitive Impairment.
It’s frightening to think about my future.

Could a group for Dementia Patients be started?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

Profile picture for jacquelineh
jacquelineh | @jacquelineh | Apr 22 1:56pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

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@colleenyoung

C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for craigbyrom
craigbyrom | @craigbyrom | Apr 22 2:24pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Jump to this post

@colleenyoung
“C”

REPLY
Profile picture for Ashley
Ashley | @ashley43725 | Apr 22 4:43pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Jump to this post

@colleenyoung
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment

REPLY
Profile picture for hraka13
hraka13 | @hraka13 | Apr 22 11:40pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Jump to this post

@colleenyoung
I vote A, for somewhat selfish reasons. I have some cognitive impairment but not due to dementia.

REPLY
Profile picture for sharonlynne
sharonlynne | @sharonlynne | Apr 23 6:58am
In reply to @fletchette "@sharonlynne I did. My radiology center has a patient portal and the results go in quickly...." + (show)
Profile picture for Pattee Fletcher @fletchette

@sharonlynne I did. My radiology center has a patient portal and the results go in quickly. But I don’t always understand what specific results mean. So I need my neurologist to explain. I had a CT SCAN for the overall condition and a PT scan for Alzheimer’s. I have vascular dementia and not Alzheimer’s dementia.
Wishing you well.

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What kinds of meds did the Dr give you for the vascular dementia?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for carmine100
carmine100 | @carmine100 | Apr 23 8:37am
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Jump to this post

@colleenyoung c

REPLY
Profile picture for Ashley
Ashley | @ashley43725 | Apr 23 9:09am
In reply to @jayanthk "What you’re describing is actually something a lot of people in early stages of Dementia and..." + (show)
Profile picture for jayanthk @jayanthk

What you’re describing is actually something a lot of people in early stages of Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment quietly wish existed, because caregiver groups don’t always fit when you’re still very much aware of your own changes and trying to process what’s happening from the inside, and while there are some “early-stage dementia” or “living with dementia” groups out there (often run through organizations like the Alzheimer's Association), they can be hard to find or not available everywhere, so the idea of starting a dedicated group for people in the mild stage is actually really valid since it would give a space to talk openly about fears, future planning, and day-to-day coping without it being framed through a caregiver lens, and it doesn’t even have to be complicated to start sometimes even a small local or online group where people just meet regularly to share experiences and practical tips is enough to make a big difference in feeling less isolated.

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@jayanthk
Indeed, I worked as a baker in a rest home some thirty odd years ago, and I would have occasional interaction with MCI and Alzheimer’s patients.
Back then I really never gave it a second thought besides compassion as I was on the outside looking in.
Now I find myself on the inside looking out and I am beginning to understand the emotions I saw in there eyes.
I shall never see patients residing in a rest home in the same way again.
I feel I am looking in a mirror at a reflection I don’t want to see, but it won’t go away. For the caregiver to understand this is, well, perhaps impossible.
I don’t usually express such thoughts, as they make me rather melancholy, but it is what it is. Regards, Ashley

REPLY
Profile picture for susanejw
susanejw | @susanejw | Apr 23 9:33am
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people..." + (show)
Profile picture for Colleen Young, Connect Director @colleenyoung

@jayanthk, thanks to @SusanEllen66 efforts in starting this discussion and forming a supportive group of people living with cognitive impairment, we will be opening a new support group on Mayo Clinic Connect soon (likely June).

To everyone, here is a list of Support Groups by condition on Mayo Clinic Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/

Following the naming convention and to help people find the new group in an alphabetical list, what name would you call the group?
A. Cognitive Impairment & Living with Early Dementia
B. Dementia: Living with Cognitive Impairment
C. Early Dementia & Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Jump to this post

@colleenyoung
I vote for C.

REPLY
Profile picture for Pattee Fletcher
Pattee Fletcher | @fletchette | Apr 23 10:24am
In reply to @sharonlynne "What kinds of meds did the Dr give you for the vascular dementia?" + (show)
Profile picture for sharonlynne @sharonlynne

What kinds of meds did the Dr give you for the vascular dementia?

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@sharonlynne rivastigmine patch and melamine. I’ve had no problems with these but also no cognitive improvement.

REPLY
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