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isavsuazo Asked May 2013

How can I help my grandmother?

I am from Honduras, and I want to help my grandmother,she is turning 84 this year, since she lost her sight 13 years ago due to glaucoma she´s been really depressed and havent got any better, she has lost mobility of her legs and they are getting curved as well as her back, so walking has become an issue for her. She broke her arm 5 oe 6 years ago, so she lost mobility of her arm too, since she said that she didnt want to make de excersices the doctor said. She lives with my sister, my mom, my grandfather and me, shes got a maid to take care of her as well but ever since she lost her sight she stopped eating her regular food, and she remembers some things but she forgets others. My grandfather takes care of her while we go to school, but when he has to travel, for a month or so, she gets worse, she stops eating or, she doesnt want to do her own things, such as washing her teeth. Sometimes she gets agressive, and she can be mean to us. Recently my grandfather had to travel, so she stays with the maid in the morning until we come from school in the afternoon but when the maid takes her to the bathroom she pushes her self down and wants the maid to carry her, but shes around 145 pounds so shes heavy, she has throwed herself to the fllor on purpuse, she may even break her hip and we talk with her, but she seems not to understand. She barely eats, she just eats 2 or 3 different vegetables for lunch since she says that she doesnt like anything else, she stopped eating meat, fish and chicken. For breakfast she only drinks a cinnabon tea and a small sweet bread. For dinner, she eats a pudin, like a flan, thats it. She says that we are mean to her and acts like a kid, since she is going backwards due to her age, she acts like a 6 year old. We have to force her to eat. We are trying to make her walk, but every time we try she throws herself to the floor and we are just trying to help her. Last time she went to the doctor, they said she was fine, concerning her heart and all that. Since my grandfather left, she doesnt want to leave her room, so she eats in a table that is near her bed. We are trying to help her to get the mobility of her legs back, by walking around the house. Sometimes she talks to herself and says "I cant anymore". What should we do? How can we make her eat? What are the best excersices for her due to her condition? How can we help her?

roseyt May 2013
It sounds like your gma has symptoms of dementia. I experienced it with my mom. Speak to your gfather/parents. She needs to be referred to a neurologist or memory clinic. Put yourself in here shoes...she herself does not understand what is happening to her, she is losing control and also feeling fustrated.

terrim May 2013
This sounds a bit like dementia or Alzheimer's setting in. For example, my own grandmother lives with us and trying to get her to eat is awful. I have to fight her to get her heart meds down her each day. The Alzheimer's has made her forgetful, angry, and often violent. We hear a lot about her childhood and younger days and she throws tantrums. I think they might need to diagnose her because this is exactly how it starts.

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ferris1 May 2013
You can ROM (range of motion) exercises for her on her. You need some training to do this and you do not state how old you are. Get her to another doctor preferably a psychiatrist to prescribe medication to help with her depression. Dementia usually involves depression as the brain is not getting the correct signals. Try to be patient, love her and if she stops eating altogether she can be forced to eat with a tube. Let's hope it does not come to that. Best wishes.

NancyH May 2013
Sounds like your grandma just doesn't care anymore. How can you help someone that just wants to give up and die? Unless you put her on an anti-depressants and keep her drugged that way, I'm not sure how it's possible to give another person the will to live. Have you asked if that's the way she feels? What does your grandpa say about his wife, does he think she's depressed or is it something else? At her age, and the fact that she hasn't done the exercises she was supposed to do in order to keep her legs and arms moving, she's really limited herself now. It's no wonder she's just wanting to give up, but unless you sit down and talk one on one with her and find out what's going thru her mind, you'll never know. I'd also be interested to hear what your parents say about her too.

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