I moved my Mom in with us three days ago. She has her own adjoining apt. She previously lived in independent living at a retirement complex. Because she was becoming increasingly forgetful, and had been asking repeatedly if she could come and live with us, I decided to give it a try.
She seems worse since moving here. She is wanting to know my every move and whereabouts, which is driving me nuts. I've been extremely busy finishing up the moving details, and haven't had an abundance of time to spend entertaining her. But, that isn't what I had in mind in the first place. (entertaining her) She's acting rather paranoid, and fearful of being in the apartment which is connected to our part of the home, so it's not like she's off by herself completely. She is very anxious, and obsessing over her poor cat...trying to feed it every time it makes the slightest MEOW. The last time I went in there to check on her, she was trying to feed the poor animal a bowl of CHERRIOS, and the yesterday we caught her putting down potato salad for the cat. When I ask her about it, she denies doing it! When she's caught red-handed! I'm trying to be patient and understanding, but HELP! Will this settle down and get better as she becomes accustomed to the new surroundings, or is this possibly a new "stage" of her dementia, that will stay? Anyone with similar experience who can advise?
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From what I have read here in the forum (and with no firsthad experience), folks with Alz. need more mental stimulation to keep them from sliding further into their own world. At some point, your Mom may need a memory care facility. One nice thing about a good care facility is that they are equipt to handle the special needs of their residents. They also provide ample opportunity to interact with others without feeling self-concsious.
Do you have a local Alz/Dem. support group in your town? People there could help tremendously. If not, there is wonderful information on this site and other Alz. websites.
It is challenging having a family member move in with you under any circumstances. Alz. just adds to the "mix." I hope everything settles down soon and you find a "rhythm" that you both can feel comfortable with.