For the past 4 years, I have spent my days at home. Early on, I had about 14 hours of home help a week, and that gave me time to get away and either go for a ride with friends or go do some shopping. But the second person who filled this role resented my 2 dogs in the house and seemed to prefer sitting making tea for my mom to doing the cleaning, so we parted company and I decided to do without. I know I should have help even at my present reduced level of 9 hours a week - there has been a cutting-down on the amount of hours across the board. But now there is difficulty finding people, so instead my 28 days carer support has been increased to allow me to put Kath into the hospital one day a week so I can go shopping or do housework.
I sorely miss getting regular physical activity - I was accustomed to working hard on this place and when that level of work diminished I took up aerobics and tae-bo, both of which I really enjoyed. I used to take mom with me, but the aerobics in our village shut down and I stopped the tae-bo because I couldn't take her to that. She became so paranoid about being by herself and worked herself up into such a state if left alone that it's been extremely difficult for me to get exercise. In the last few months however she seems to have settled down a bit and become what one of the aides at the hospital called "more co-operative". So I've made up my mind that come what may I am going to take my dogs round the property boundaries for half an hour a day weather permitting.
Our land is pretty steep, so that will be a good workout. I don't see why I should let my body go to rack and ruin along with my social and business life - haha!
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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
The Noose Tightens
I missed having my business in town and felt defeated that I had given it up. Although I continued to work for one or two clients from a distance, it wasn't easy to keep these contacts going from 20 miles away - and if I went travelling to see people, obviously I had to take my mother with me. That caused more stress and difficulties. I was dabbling with internet businesses but nothing came up at that time to take the place of what I had been doing, although I spent quite some effort and dollars trying to explore online businesses.
Two years later when I got the chance to open up again in our local village, I took it gladly - the whole venue was more relaxed than the town, the little village more casual, and I thought I might be able to make a go of it. That was a big mistake. I soon found that trying to look after my mom and a business in the public eye was just too stressful and regretfully I closed the doors for a second time, with debts over my head. To this day I have people who say they miss my presence there. I guess the best I can say about it is at least I did it -
I would probably have always been wishing I had, otherwise.
At about the same time I also gave up a job in sole charge of a health store on Saturday mornings. I had worked there for 7 years, and was welcome to take my mom with me, which I always did. Basically, she was happy sitting in the room behind the shop and for several years would sometimes even go shopping. But towards the end she could no longer do shopping, and even being there with me when there were no customers was not enough - when I walked out of the back room straight into the shop to serve people, she would call out for me. It became totally untenable. The noose was tightening - on us both I guess, but especially on me.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Two years later when I got the chance to open up again in our local village, I took it gladly - the whole venue was more relaxed than the town, the little village more casual, and I thought I might be able to make a go of it. That was a big mistake. I soon found that trying to look after my mom and a business in the public eye was just too stressful and regretfully I closed the doors for a second time, with debts over my head. To this day I have people who say they miss my presence there. I guess the best I can say about it is at least I did it -
I would probably have always been wishing I had, otherwise.
At about the same time I also gave up a job in sole charge of a health store on Saturday mornings. I had worked there for 7 years, and was welcome to take my mom with me, which I always did. Basically, she was happy sitting in the room behind the shop and for several years would sometimes even go shopping. But towards the end she could no longer do shopping, and even being there with me when there were no customers was not enough - when I walked out of the back room straight into the shop to serve people, she would call out for me. It became totally untenable. The noose was tightening - on us both I guess, but especially on me.
- - -
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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Alzheimers Carers Community
A couple of days ago I was invited by a friend in Singapore to join a new, free program called Earnpals, which I did, and I found one of the features it offers is the ability to form Communities - so yesterday I set up a Community for Alzheimers Carers. I thought this might be another good way to reach out to carers on the net. Membership of Earnpals also entitles you to a blog, a photo album, and access to all the communities that members have created.
If anyone would like to join me in this - here is my link: http://www.earnpals.com/?17103
I am going into this to reach out and make some friends, more than anything.
Patricia
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
If anyone would like to join me in this - here is my link: http://www.earnpals.com/?17103
I am going into this to reach out and make some friends, more than anything.
Patricia
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Monday, July 24, 2006
Promising Alzheimers Research Report
This report was published in our New Zealand press yesterday:
"Australians announce one-a-day pill for Alzheimers disease."
"Melbourne - Australian scientists may have found a cure for Alzheimers disease.
In a world first, a Melbourne research team has developed the once-a-day pill to combat the brain disease. Human trials of the drug start next month, the Sunday Herald Sun says.
The drug, known as PBT2, was developed by the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria in partnership with Prana Biotechnology in Melbourne.
"It is a major breakthrough and very much a Melbourne discovery," said Professor George Fink, the director of the Mental Health Research Institute. "Though much depends on the next phase of human clinical trials, ...early results indicate this drug offers hope to people with Alzheimers disease."
Prof Fink said the drug could prevent or delay Alzheimers from developing.
Many scientists accept amyloid is a major cause of Alzheimers and clinical tests have found the drug acts fast, lowering amyloid levels by 60% within 24 hours.
It also found PBT2 suppressed the impairment of memory function."
-AAP
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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
"Australians announce one-a-day pill for Alzheimers disease."
"Melbourne - Australian scientists may have found a cure for Alzheimers disease.
In a world first, a Melbourne research team has developed the once-a-day pill to combat the brain disease. Human trials of the drug start next month, the Sunday Herald Sun says.
The drug, known as PBT2, was developed by the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria in partnership with Prana Biotechnology in Melbourne.
"It is a major breakthrough and very much a Melbourne discovery," said Professor George Fink, the director of the Mental Health Research Institute. "Though much depends on the next phase of human clinical trials, ...early results indicate this drug offers hope to people with Alzheimers disease."
Prof Fink said the drug could prevent or delay Alzheimers from developing.
Many scientists accept amyloid is a major cause of Alzheimers and clinical tests have found the drug acts fast, lowering amyloid levels by 60% within 24 hours.
It also found PBT2 suppressed the impairment of memory function."
-AAP
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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Don't Leave Me Alone
Over time Kath has developed a total phobia of being left alone - even for a few minutes at a time.
Initially after my father's death in August 1985 things went along as normal. She lived with me in Cambridge until Christmas and I worked as usual. The next year I brought her up here and she lived alone for about 8 months on the property while a builder completed the house. I drove up whenever I could at weekends and holidays, but continued living in my own home about 5 hours' drive away while working out my lecturing contract with the Waikato Polytechnic until the end of 1986.
Once I moved up here, I travelled from time to time on Dairy Goat Council business, being away sometimes for several days on a stretch, without any problems whatsoever. I also took the Certificate in Business Computing (a 6 months' course) at our local Polytechnic in 1993 and lectured a semester in Business Law at the same institution the following year - all of which involved working in town on a number of weekdays. I left her at home without any problems. In 1995-96 I became a central figure in our district's fight to save our hospital, and that involved meetings once or twice a week in our local village - again, no problems.
The change, when it came, was quite sudden. Over Christmas 1996 - 1997 I had two good work opportunities - few and far between at that time in this part of the world. One was with a law firm in a town about an hour's drive away. The other was the chance to open my own computer graphics business in our nearest small town about 20 minutes drive from here. My mother's reaction to the first proposal was a flat, "Well, I'm not going to be left here on my own all day." The reaction was so strong and abrupt that it surprised me.
This coupled with the prospect of at least two hours' drive every weekday made me choose the second option - which I have to say was closer to my heart. It was probably the best decision, because it wasn't more than a couple of months before I had to arrange things so I could take her with me to my own office daily, and only a matter of time until, due to redevelopment of the premises and likely changes in the adjacent tenants, that option wasn't really viable either. So early in 1998 I brought the business home - forfeiting all the advantages of having a presence in the town's business arena.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
Initially after my father's death in August 1985 things went along as normal. She lived with me in Cambridge until Christmas and I worked as usual. The next year I brought her up here and she lived alone for about 8 months on the property while a builder completed the house. I drove up whenever I could at weekends and holidays, but continued living in my own home about 5 hours' drive away while working out my lecturing contract with the Waikato Polytechnic until the end of 1986.
Once I moved up here, I travelled from time to time on Dairy Goat Council business, being away sometimes for several days on a stretch, without any problems whatsoever. I also took the Certificate in Business Computing (a 6 months' course) at our local Polytechnic in 1993 and lectured a semester in Business Law at the same institution the following year - all of which involved working in town on a number of weekdays. I left her at home without any problems. In 1995-96 I became a central figure in our district's fight to save our hospital, and that involved meetings once or twice a week in our local village - again, no problems.
The change, when it came, was quite sudden. Over Christmas 1996 - 1997 I had two good work opportunities - few and far between at that time in this part of the world. One was with a law firm in a town about an hour's drive away. The other was the chance to open my own computer graphics business in our nearest small town about 20 minutes drive from here. My mother's reaction to the first proposal was a flat, "Well, I'm not going to be left here on my own all day." The reaction was so strong and abrupt that it surprised me.
This coupled with the prospect of at least two hours' drive every weekday made me choose the second option - which I have to say was closer to my heart. It was probably the best decision, because it wasn't more than a couple of months before I had to arrange things so I could take her with me to my own office daily, and only a matter of time until, due to redevelopment of the premises and likely changes in the adjacent tenants, that option wasn't really viable either. So early in 1998 I brought the business home - forfeiting all the advantages of having a presence in the town's business arena.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease
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