Discussion Forums - Caregivers' Forum

Here  is a link for a Kindle freebie that will expire after today.  It's a book about 2 men and their struggles with taking care of their mothers-in law with Alzheimer's / dementia.  They're from seperate states, met via blogging, and ended up writing a book about thier struggles during care, what to expect, the stages, etc and then life after a loved one passes.  It got good reviews so it might be worth checking out if you're caring for someone with Alz's or dementia. 

However, I used to take care of a dementia patient and I still see him from time to time since his family doesn't seem to care. I have a hard time dealing with the fact his family doesn't ever visit him now that he is in an assisted living facility. I feel I care about him more than they do. If my mom lived as close to me as his family lives to him, I would visit her at least once a week and she doesn't even have dementia. I just can't bleive they don't care enough to visit him. He makes excuses for them but it irks me. Past caregiver.  

I'm having a lot of difficulty looking after my "little" sister who was born with Down Syndrome and was the perkiest, cutest, cleverest little girl, always chattering or singing or playing jokes on the family. Fast forward 50 years and now she's 52, I'm 63 and she's failing mentally and has been for the last 10 years, but I just attributed it to ageing. Apparently, people with Down Syndrom get Alzheimers Disease (or other dementia) at a significantly higher rate than the "normal" population. Who knew? I've tried to be the same loving sister I was, but it is getting so hard. I find myself angry ALL the time and it's mostly at her. I know she can't help it, just like she couldn't help being born mentally retarded, but somehow I find myself blaming her. Since my mother died, (2007) I have no one to go to for relief of the stress. I could go visit my mother and bitch and whine and come back home in a calmer mood. Or have my mother over to our house to have a tea party with my sister and I, and feel not so alone anymore. I know there is nothing anyone can do for me...I just needed to vent. Life is so freaking unfair!!  I know, no one said it would be fair, but it should be.