Writing in Snow

Monday Alzheimer’s morning blues

Word count: 506

The idea is to place yourself into the patient’s illusion because anything simply makes the person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease angry. The problem is that my mother has decided I am angry with her and that I hate her. I cannot agree with Mom’s conclusions, even though she is convinced these things are true when she says them. Eventually, Mom forget that she believes I think these things about her, but at the she says them I am not sure how to handle the situation.

I cannot agree with her. Anything I say that disagrees with these things makes her angry. The only option I have is to remain silent and attempt to hug her, but she will not allow me to give her a hug at these times. Therefore, I remain silent and when it gets too much I leave the room and this makes her angry as well because then she decides I do not want her around.

I have to remain silent know that the anger is only temporary. Anger is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s patients have short-term memory lose. Alzheimer’s patients believe that there illusions are true. The best thing to do is simply agree with the patient’s illusions until the moment passes. Mom’s anger is waves rolling in and out. Eventually her anger passes or she forgets what caused her anger.

Mom does not realize she has Alzheimer’s disease. She does not think she needs to take her medication because Mom believes it unnecessary. When I give her the meds, she complains. Mom has not refused to take the meds so far. Mom thinks I want her to be ill; this is just another one of her illusions.

Sometimes she thinks I hid or threw some of her stuff away. Mom places an item, such as her glasses, on the dresses and then cannot find it because she forgot where she put the glasses and thinks she put them some place else.

Mornings are usually worse then afternoons. Mom is always in a much better mood when we go out, but we are not going out for a while. The temperatures are in the triple digits and I need to have the air fixed in the car. I do not know how I am going to get the air working again because it need more then just the item put in to make it work.

The air stays cool for about two days before I have to have the unit charged again. I do not know what I am going to do right now, but something will come up if I am persistent.

Some days are better then others. Some morning are better then others. As I have said, I have a professional caregiver stay with Mom while I work. Mom does not like it because she thinks it is unnecessary. Sometimes I wish Mom knew she had Alzheimer’s and at other times I am glad she does not know. It would only make Mom worry if she knew.