Glad you decided to post Sammy. This is a great group and we are all with you on your journey.
I do agree with you finding a new doctor. Many do not have the patience or the experience to deal with dementia and the loved ones that care enough to ask tons of questions. Dad's primary physician was wonderful and very willing to listen and research, but very up front with me about how little they are taught in med school about dementia. That is left for the specialist. With the rise of this disease now I hope that changes. Mom's doctor was clueless. Their current geriatric specialist is wonderful. So if you are not pleased the physician now.... find a second opinion or a new doctor.
Mom and Dad are both on Namenda and Aricept. I'm not sure if either is doing Dad any good because he has Vascular Dementia but he tolerates it well. Mom on the other hand has ALZ. She is more confused... late afternoon and evening. I have wondered if one of the dementia medications she is taking might be part of the reason but then there is called Sundowning which is very common. There is not medical explination for sundowning but most dementia patients are worse around sundown. Many times that coincides with afternoon or evening meds so it is easy to confuse sundowning with med side effect. Lowering the dosage will tell you which it is. Isn't it amazing that confusion is a side effect for a med to slow the progression of dementia?
I can empathize with the broken bones. Mom was walking down the street and fell and broke her arm. That is her story and she is sticking to it. We are not sure what happened except she did break her arm. Each medical emergency takes them down a notch or two and many times they don't come back to the level they were before. So part of the change you are seeing may be because of the broken bones.
Dementia patients don't like anything that restricts what they want to do. They are determined. They also don't understand that they can't do what they want to do. They are sure YOU are crazy. Child latches on the cabinets and child protectors on the door knobs are useful. Light or lasar burgler alarms to warn you when she reaches a certain area also work. The bed alarm is a great idea. Bed rails and child gates don't work because they climb right over them increasing the fall risk. Throw rugs can be a problem as well. Beyond the obvious trip risk.... many dementia patients have a perception problem when the floor color changes. They see holes or step downs that can cause a problem. Less is better. The less clutter, the less to navigate around, the less to confuse them. Keep it simple.
I do not know anything specific about Tumeric/Curcumin. There have been a lot of claims about "Natural Cures" with herbs and vitamines and other natural substances. When Mom first realized she was having coginitive difficulties she took a laundry list of these miracle cures. She is now in AL obcessing about a metal rod stuck between her teeth that the dentist can't find. I truly believe if there was a miracle cure of ALZ, as prevelent as this disease is, that you would not have to search deep into the internet to find it. Be cautious of "research" to sell you something.
As far as venting.... go for it. I have done my fair share lately. It's good for the soul and helps us cope with all we have to deal with. There is not a better group anywhere because we know exactly what you are feeling. We have been there with you..... So keep posting
Love, deb
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