[DavidStrong]

I am teaching a psychology class and today's topic was memory. I wrapped up the class talking about Alzheimers disease. After class a student came up to me and asked how someone (or family) could get a person they suspect has Alzheimers to go to the doctor's to get checked out. Apparently she has a family member who refuses her family members pleas to seek treatment. Does anyone know of any articles, tips, or strategies that I might pass on to her? Thanks.

[kimmydawn]

Hi David.

I do know that many I've spoken with have called the primary care physician's office in advance, then used an excuse to get them to the dr. (something the person would respect or feel concern for).

The client, family, dr., all retain good positions in this usually when the information just seems to be "found out".

Good luck and thank you for caring so much for your student's position.

KD

[(JD)]

WebMD always has something... http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_co...alzheimers.htm

A blood test is usually given... so no mention of the disease has to be made to suggest a blood test (for nutrition, anemia??) TC!!!

a general check up, perhaps? with a little heads up for the family physician? i do have a friend who did that recently. xoxox pat

[DavidStrong]

Thank you Sky. Strange, I've done lit searches now and have not found any articles dealing with a person in denial about their Alzheimers problem. Most of what I have access to are scientific papers and don't deal with that sort of thing. Almost everything I find deals with post-diagnosis. Also, we are a research based institution so there aren't many people who deal with this kind of issue on a regular basis. Strange there isn't more out there on this. I find it quite strange.

[eskielover]

I don't think there is anything that one can find out about how to handle situations like this other than seeking out others who have had similar situations.

I know for my grandmother, my grandfather didn't understand what was happening & my mother wasn't able to deal with handling her own mother....feeling that she couldn't put her mother into a nursing home for the care she really needed. I had to be the one that forced the situation. My grandmother was hitting my grandfather with her cane....saying that he was a burglar breaking into their mobile home.....then she would take her cane & break everything in their home. She was a dangerous altzhiemers person.

I finally was able to get her into see a surgeon about her hip replacement that had worn out. I let him know about her mental situation & what was happening. We arranger to have her get the surgery & while in the hospital, the Dr's were able to determine that her cognative abilities wouldn't allow her to live in the situation she was in.....& I made sure that they knew my grandfather wasn't able to take care of her by himself. I had to talk to both my Mother & grandfather about the fact that this was the best for her & no matter how bad she wanted to live in her home until she died, it wasn't safe for her or my grandfather. It took alot to make my grandfather realize the severity of the situation & the Dr helped me. My mother didn't want to do that to her mother either, but I had to make her realize that it was the best thing also.....a tough situation to be in being the only child with no suport other than the Dr's to help push what was the right thing to do.

When my grandmother was hospitalized for the hip surgery, they did an analysis of her cognative abilities & determined that it was either altzhiemers or dimentia. That was when altzhiemers was a new thing.

It is important to get them in to the Dr for something that isn't threatening without giving them any idea that there is a question about altzhiemers......from there, the Dr can help you create the situation where altzhiemers can be tested for. It is a dificult situation to be in....but it is very important to take care of it......& now, there are meds that can be taken to help slow down the progression of the altzhiemers.

Hopefully you can have some support & not be the only one that has to force the issue, but it is important to take care of it earlier than later.

Debbie

i have a dear friend who really resisted treatment and when his wife told the family doctor about his "absences" (lost) and such, the doctor said she didn't think he had a PROBLEM. i really sympathize on this one. i've never had to face it and i know it must be hard for the family of the young student.

i'll research a little bit tomorrow p.m. and see if i can find anything. i just finished a course on psych meds...let me call around and see if i can get anything definitive. xoxox pat

i found this.......it's quite lengthy and i found it to be interesting. it is illuminating concerning how the patient feels and what they experience upon finding out they have alzheimers. it isn't the total package, but it is a start. xoxo pat

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:...&ct=clnk&cd=11

[gardenergirl]

I wish I had an answer for you. My father in law appears to be developing early AD, and he's quite angry and in major denial about any memory problems. It's almost led to a separation a couple of times for my inlaws, and my mother in law is depressed and way over-stressed. Not only does she have to handle much more herself, and check over what he does without bringing attention to any errors (at least that's how she's handling it right now), but she has to deal with his anger, accusations, and now increased drinking. She's tried to talk to him about it. She's talked to us about it. His sons have tried to talk to him about it. All we get is denial and anger. And then he blames her for what anyone else says. It's awful.

She tried calling his doc once, and later writing a letter about his behavior and problems. The doctor pretty much backed down. My father in law is used to being in charge. He's not really mean or intimidating, it's just that people have always deferred to his feelings.

Unfortunately, in the early stages it can be very very difficult to get someone to go to the doctor. It's about fear, I think. And so the fear creates denial and other defense mechanisms. Family dynamics also have a huge impact. My husband's family has thought of doing an intervention type approach, but my mother in law fears he would leave. At this point, she'd rather have her marriage and deal versus risking the marriage to get him to go to the doc.

There are a few support groups for early phase AD. Not many, but a few. If the family wants to check that out, they may find it helpful. Regular AD support groups tend to attract caregivers of those who are more advanced. Their issues are different from the early phase folks, and it can also be upsetting to hear about what might be coming down the pike when you need help with what is there now.

The only other suggestion I know of is to try to find a psychologist who specializes in geriatrics, preferably geriatric assessment. They may be able to advise the family on what has worked in getting clients to come in for assessment.

Good luck!

gg

there is another component to this dilemna. i believe that the majority of physicians simply see an older person as just that, an old person. very few specialize or even study up on the illnesses of the elderly.

when i was taking care of Billie(80) i took her to her doc. i told him she was extremely depressed and he as much as said, "she's old, so what?".....i took her to my doctor and he put on another AD and it was like a whole new world for her.

picking the right physician, for the intital visit, seems to be as important as anything. it's very, very frustrating.......

as GG said, a specialist would be nice. pat

[Peanuts]

Check out the Alzheimer’s Association -
http://www.alz.org/

Another great source would be to locate a local support chapter for families of Alzheimer sufferers. Other families who have been through this will have great suggestions on getting that "first" visit.

Even if the person refuses to see a doctor at this time, there are lots of things that family can do to help slow the disease progression - if it is indeed Alzheimers. But what if it isn't. What if something else is wrong of which there is effective treatment. That is one suggestion that might encourage a person to see a doctor. To rule it out.

A person in the early stages of Alzheimers is still an adult with rights - even the right to refuse treatment. As sad as that is, it is their right to deal with this illness (if they have it) in their own way. Eventually, the disease will progress and then family will need to step in. In the case of my grandmother, when that time arrived, she did not know what was happening. She only knew that she was with people who smiled often and spoke kindly to her.

It seems to me that once Alzheimer hits hard, the person suffering doesn't know it. In a way, Alzheimer is an affliction that hits the family the worst. Because we know what is lost forever except in our own memories and family stories.

[darkeyes]

You got that right, it's really hard, I'm stressed with my mom's dementia besides all her other health issues.
I started attending Alzheimer support group meetings,and find it helpful.

[Sarah116]

First of all you sound like a very caring teacher!
try this http://www.alz.org/