Hi everyone,
Long time forum observer here. Thanks for your answers and support of one another.
My mom is 79 and I believe she is hovering between stage 4-5 dementia. She was a great mom growing up and adores the grandkids. She lives at home with my young family. She is physically quite well, but her mind is deteriorating. She retains her skills and can play games, but even she laments over the loss of her short term memory. Due to mood swings, severe forgetfulness, not remembering where she's been, the care she requires to focus on self care - eating, bathing, etc. - we probably can't keep her at home much longer. She has begun leaving the house in the middle of the night with the delusion that her valuables have been left at a nearby park. My security camera alerts me when she leaves. Caught her at 1 a.m. tonight. I can reassure her that all is well, and that pacifies her, but it will happen again.
Mom has be blessed with a strong immune system and is very rarely sick. She has always believed in holistic care and dislikes pills and medicine, unless necessary.
I took her to a functional medicine office where the doctor is a D.O. Some swear by it and others call such methods charlatan.
The doctor has advised:
1. A stool sample (to check for bad bacteria)
2. A full bloodwork panel (checking for hormone levels)
3. Heavy metals testing (if present she would have chelation treatment)
4. MRI
5. Stem cells to be administered to the brain
What can you tell me about functional medicine and stem cells? The research is very new and it seems evidence is inconclusive. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of these treatments?
Love my mom and hate to see her slip away.
Look for it on Amazon or at DME stores this Rd are like medical specialty supplies like wheel chairs or bath tub bars or braces, etc.
You can also get an alarm at the entryway of your door or bedroom doors. The alarm goes of when the person walks not it. Also on Amazon. There is also a floor mat that can be used on the floor.
Hope this helps. My dad walked out the house one time and that was it for us. Lol.
Another thing, have your Mom tested for a Urinary Tract Infection. Such an infection can cause all types of different issues with us older folks, from mood swings, to seeing things that aren't there, plus it can mimic dementia. It's a simple test, Mom need to pee in a cup [well, maybe not so simple], but worth having checked out.
I didn't know what a D.O. was so I looked it up.
"What is a D.O. doctor?
According to the American Osteopathic Association, doctors of osteopathic medicine regard the body as an integrated whole, rather than treating for specific symptoms only. Allopathic medicine, also referred to as “Western medicine,” treats disease symptoms using remedies such as drugs or surgery."
So that's interesting, but I'd also be fascinated to hear what the AMA thinks a D.O. is. Any bets, before I trot along and see what their website says?
I would ask some really pointed questions and decide by the attitude if I was willing to allow them to use mom as a trial. Any doctor that gets up in arms because they are questioned is not someone that I would trust with my body or that of a loved one.
I think that it has to start with someone and I am willing to do trials if they are completely honest with me, especially with something that is going to cost me my life anyway and is progressive. What do you have to lose? is my feelings on the subject.
I know a man that had stem cell therapy on a bum shoulder and had wonderful results. Full range of motion restored, no pain, rapid healing and many other benefits, but that was not his brain. So I have personally seen good results from this treatment. I do believe that it has amazing potential for improving quality of life in some instances.
As to walking out the door in the middle of the night. We had to install little tab locks up high when granny started wandering. They don't let the door open at all, are easy to use, except for someone that has cognitive issues. Place them up high, above her line of vision (about six inches above her forehead, cognitive issues keep people from looking up) and they will help you keep her from wandering out of the house. Cheap at any hardware store.
I am sorry that you are experiencing the long goodbye with your mom. It is brutal. Hugs, you will decide the best thing for her.
At this point, not likely to fix her dementia. She is delusional and that may be indication of vascular dementia or something other than alzheimers . I agree that she will likely need placement if she is wandering at night. You may want to look up information about diet and articles by Dale Bredesen, MD, a neurologist who is working on this subject. I think that there is great promise and at the very least, hope that some things can be done to slow or reverse cognitive decline but it may be that your mother has progressed too far. I have been reading and researching functional medicine approaches myself since after caring for my mother and my inlaws, all with dementia, I would like to avoid that for myself. Functional Medicine doctors are not quacks but please do be advised that much of the testing they do is not covered by standard insurance and may not be covered by Medicare. It can be quite expensive and since there is no proof at all that stem cells would help, it is almost certainly not going to be paid for by Medicare. I am a retired RN and this topic is really interesting to me.
So sorry about your mother. I agree with others that have said that at this stage, probably not much that can be done but Dr. Bredesen has had some success so you can at least do that research. You will find a lot about this online. In the meantime, your mother's condition is progressive and will continue to worsen. You need to keep her safe of course, but your first consideration needs to be your own family so you should begin to assess what options there are for her in terms of living arrangements.
They have the same education and training as an MD. Just have a different approach is all.
Do you have round knobs on your doors? If so there are baby covers that you put over them. When Mom tries to turn them, they just go around and around. But other members can use them with no problems. There is also somekind of lock that you put out of her reach. My cousin put in deadbolts that need a key. Now these maybe against fire code but my Uncle had a caregiver with him 24/7. My cousin had them removed after my uncles passing. Because of the stairs coming up out of Moms room, I used a baby gate so she couldn't walk up them. I had it positioned high enough she couldn't climb over it.
However, you will only be told to change them if for some reason the fire department were to do an inspection.
But, if there were a fire and someone was injured, it would be a different story.
Everyone I know has at least one in their home.
Ww have them and leave a key in unless we are traveling, then I figure to make it as hard as possible if someone is going to rob my house. Climb through the window with that there stolen property. 😁
1) There is as yet no credible research that stem cell treatment can do much of anything. Even the limited usage allowed currently by the FDA is still being researched. Even earlier claims that it can help with Parkinson's Disease have not been proven. Read the FDA article posted below where it indicates only the "potential" of stem cell usage in humans.
2) Stem cells have not been approved for use in humans by the FDA except in a very limited process. What these "doctors" are claiming to be stem cells are not only fake, they can result in physical harm and possibly death. One elderly woman in Texas almost died after being administered "stem cells". https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fda-warns-about-stem-cell-therapies
Do your research on heavy metals also. There's a lot of fraud on that, as well, because the possibility of actually having enough heavy metal in your system to do you physical or mental harm is rare. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/heavy-metal-poisoning/
I'm all for natural remedies and avoid meds as much as possible (doesn't help that I become allergic to everything!). Once I develop dementia, I'd like to keep my wits as long as possible and the go quickly. If taking aricept or something will do that, I'm all for the drug!
I have heard of research into stem cells but not any actual treatments. Good question!
Have you seen any Teepa Snow on YouTube? She's not a fan on the 7 stages with the focus on lost ability. More about what the person can still do & strategies to cope. You sound very positive & focused on the best for your Mum. May suit your style? If interested, check out her info.
Certainly is scary that she tries to leave your home. What about some type of alarm system? Are you sleeping? Do you watch your camera all night? What happens if you are asleep and miss her departure on the camera?
Are you more interested in assisted living or a nursing home? Have you started looking for a place? Please do that soon and have a serious talk about it with her. Again. I am so sorry that you and your family are going through this difficult situation with your beloved mom.
Please see my general comment for an update. My response has been delayed because I've been busy caring for Mom and following the advice given on this thread. She's still telling everyone we meet that she's lucky to have me for her daughter. We have some really wonderful moments, and I treasure those especially loving, "normal" times. God is good all the time.