JUST BEGINING THE JOURNEY OF ALZHEIMER'S WITH DAD

By SHARONHAVASU Thursday, July 31, 2008

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MY DAD HAS ALSO BEEN SEEING KIDS, PEOPLE, DOGS, IN THE HOUSE AND OUT SIDE, FOR SEVERAL DAYS, NOW, HE GOT MAD AND WANTED ME TO CALL THE POLICE, THAT BOYS WERE IN THE BACK YARD, HE HAS DONE THIS FOR SEVERAL NIGHTS NOW, IT WENT ON ONE NIGHT FOR HOURS, I WENT OUT AND LOOKED AND DIDN'T SEE ANYONE, I TOLD HIM HE WAS SEEING THINGS AND HE GOT VERY MAD. SOMETIMES HE KNOWS HE IS SEEING THINGS, THAT THERE IS NO ONE IN THE HOUSE. THIS HAS ME WORRIED HE HAS ALSO BEED CARRYING A KNIFE WITH HIM OUT SIDE, A STEAK KNIFE, AND HE IS 80, ALL OF THIS HAS ME STARTING TO LOOK FOR HELP, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE HARD

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Sue

8/ 1/08 9:11am

Thanks for your post and welcome to our community. I think all of our experts here would agree with me when I say please be careful. You are in a precarious situation with your dad and need to be able to insure your own safety. I recommend you speak with his doctors to see what might be done to curb this violent behavior. And of course it will be difficult, but considering other living arrangements may be necessary at some point. Maybe sooner thanyou would have thought.

Keep us up to date on what is happening. The community is here for you.

All the best, sue

PS You might consider talking with someone at the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Social Services Hotline. They can be reached at here:

8/ 1/08 10:44am

Welcome aboard!
As I mentioned in the reply for "Living in the past" post, my FIL has seen things also. However, he is not as bad as your Dad yet. My FIL's home care nurse told me many times that when my FIL gets violent or combative like your Dad, for example, he would have to go to a nursing home because this shows that he is entering the last stage and needs more help. The caregivers won't be able to provide the care without being abused. So in this case, you definitely should find a nursing home (not assisted live-in but a nursing home as he is probably severe.)

The other alternative is to talk to his doctor and see what medications can help if any. It also depends on the staging. If it is late, a nursing home is safe, if it is earlly, the medications may help.

Good luck!

Nina

8/ 1/08 10:56am

BTW, I forgot to mention - TAKE AWAY the steak knife from him!! Remove the weapons from him so he cannot reach them. Hide them and etc. We have put away some major stuff like a decorative sword or even the stuff for the fireplace. My FIL is not so bad so the knives are in the drawers still. But he has 24 hours caregivers. In any case, you should try to put away the potential "weapons" for now.

Nina

DaugterInLaw

2/10/09 1:49pm

I would go to home depot and purchase a large lock box for the knives in the kitchen and razors, golf clubs ECT, you should store in a lockable closet. I lost my mom at 10 and am sorry to hear that you lost yours as well that makes it so hard as I know I wish I could call mine for comfort when there is little. I like to play Eckhart Tolle (http://www.eckharttolle.com/eckharttolle) and other calming self help tapes thinking maybe some of the messages of disconnecting from the pain body might get into the subconscious mind and calm the whole house down. I also burn sage and do yoga sometimes. These things help me heal. From the looks of your picture you are a great hairdresser! Be thankful for that today (pseudo unemployed caregiver) and try to be thankful for one thing in your life esp. when you wake up in the morning. That is my advice to me and you. I am wishing you peace and acceptance and the same to your father today. I am sorry it is so hard and I hope he finds something to smile about today. Out of curiosity was he in the military?

SHARONHAVASU

8/10/10 3:28pm

thanks everyone, just found this in old emails, it was great to see, well 2 years later, and Dad in lockdown, alzymers unit in town 50 miles away, he did get to be in asissted 5 star care for 6 months till he tried to choke and stab employee , so now just trying to do all the paper work for payment he falls between the cracks , as he gets worse, thanks for everyone support,

JUST BEGINING THE JOURNEY OF ALZHEIMER'S WITH DAD

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