- Introduction
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Prevention
-
Caregiving
- Coping with Emotional Changes
- Coping with Memory Loss
- Costs and Insurance
- Creating a Daily Routine
- Exercise
- Health and Wellbeing of the Caregiver
- Home Safety Adjustments
- Mental Exercises
- Respite Care
- Talking to Children about Alzheimer's
- Talking to Friends about Alzheimer's
- Telling Someone They Have Alzheimer's
- Transition to Assisted Living
- Transition to Nursing Home
- Work
- Related Conditions
- Resources
Q: My Mom keeps asking me to take her home and she is home..what should I say to her?
This is so painful, and so very common. Your mother wants to go home to the home she remembers from her childhood. Obviously, that can't happen. If she lives with you, you could put her in the car and drive around the block and chat and say, "Well, now, we're home." Sometimes that is enough of a distraction.
If she is in a care center, try walking her around and distracting her with something else. That's about all that works for this heartbreaking situation. I wish I had a magic formula, but I don't.
Remember that arguing doesn't work. Agree when you can without any harm. Distract when that works. Re-direct her interest, if possible. And take care of yourself by keeping in touch with other caregivers. Know that you have a lot of company, and keep checking back. We understand what you are going through.
Carol
It is very common for my FIL to ask where he is and want to be taken home. Now he has 2 scenarios: one is this is not his house so he has to go home or find a lady to go home with (try to have a wife but he forgot how and he has severe AD so he cannot marry or live with any lady.) What we do is sometimes take him a short walk from the living room to the kitchen and back to his couch so he feels he "goes home". Sometimes we told him he is in his home and house. Well, when it is his house, he asks more questions about how he has the money (he as pension and investments and he forgot all that.) or the keys. Now almost every night, he asks the same question thinking this is not his house. Sometimes he listens to my hubby or me about where he is, and sometimes we have to delay and tell him he will get the cash or key tomorrow and he will forget about it the next day.
Everyone is different, but I think they need reassurance. So we told him not to worry about it and that we are responsible for everything. The thing is he asks this EVERYDAY. So it takes some patience...
Good luck,
Nina
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