ALZHEIMER'S BLOG:

How to prepare the house for continue safety:

WONDERING: Keep a bracelet on them with there name, address, phone numbers, and allergies. My father in law would wonder out of the house but I was lucky. He would walk down to the mail box and back to the front door. Of course I had to keep an eye on him, and I could watch him from the kitchen window.

DRESSING: As time goes on and the Alzheimer's gets worse, I found it was easier for dad to get dressed if I only gave him one piece of clothing at a time. He seemed to get mixed up if all the clothes were in front of him.

BATHING: My father in law use to fight me when it came to taking a bath. I kept a bath chair in the tub for him and would already have the water in the tub. At first I would tell him it is his turn to bath and he would go in the bathroom and turn the water on in the sink, wash his face and walk out telling me he took a bath. So finally I had to help him undress and get into the tub. He would yell at me asking me why I didn't make him bathe when he was in the army. Than he would go off on a tangent yelling at me as to why I made him kill women and children in the army. But unfortunately as the Alzheimer's progressed he would sit on the bath chair and do as he was told until it finally progressed and he didn't know how to bath and I would be bathing him.

TOILETING: Of course at first dad could use the toilet. But as time went on, I use to put him on the potty like he was a child trying to guessed when he would need to go until finally he had to wear depends. Even with the depends I would try and put him on the potty so he wouldn't be to embarrassed.

LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING PROBLEMS: I call this time Sun downing. This was the time he would get agitated, and want to wonder even more. I tried to keep him busy with puzzles or cards that I would play with him. That didn't always do the trick. I tried to put him on a schedule. In the mornings and early afternoons my schedule worked but towards the evenings I could not keep one. It always depended on his moods.


I hope this helps you if you are dealing with this terrible disease with your loved one. If you have any questions for something I didn't write please let me know and I will address them for you. Keep up the good work. I know you feel all alone. There are many of you baby boomers out there dealing with this. Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today.
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint Of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com