My Grandpa was just diagnosed with Alzheimer's yesterday. Apparently he's been fooling us all for some time. They rated him at stage five using the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). As I'm sure some of you know, there are 7 stages to this scale with stage one being a person in the best condition and stage seven being the worst. He was also diagnosed with "Depression with agitation" and "Dementia: Alzheimer's type."

They recommend that he would do well in a nursing home, having 24 hour support.
They recommend supportive counseling, recommend using short sentences, simple instruction, and if staying home they recommend Home health care - which he already has and respite care to give my Grandmother some down time.

I feel at a total loss for him. Is there anything I can do especially to help him out? Is there anything I can do to help him combat this devastating mental illness? Is there anything I can do in efforts to help him retain the abilities he has or regain abilities, both mental and physical that he's currently lost? I just feel at a loss. There has to be something I can do...

I know very little at this point...but if you can visit your Grandpa and take activities he can do with you that he enjoys doing. (Don't worry about how well he can do it - just allow him the opportunity to bond with you). I hope this helps a little...keep reading up on this stuff...it's so difficult to watch those we love get older.

I'm sorry your Grandfather has Alzheimer's. This is a disease that devastates not only the person who has it but his or her family and friends as well. In many ways, especially in later stages, it's actually worse for the family - family members are continually haunted by memories of who the person USED to be and what the person USED to be able to do, whereas the person with Alzheimer's doesn't remember those things at all and doesn't realize what's been lost.

It's common for people with Alzheimer's to mask the symptoms and for the disease to go undiagnosed, for a long time in some cases. Sometimes a sudden injury or incident brings the problem to light. The important thing is, now you have a diagnosis, and you have a name for the problem you're dealing with. Once the problem has a name, you can start to come up with solutions and remedies.

It's good that your Grandfather has some home care. I personally favor keeping the person at home as long as possible so long as it's safe to do so and the person is getting the care he needs. I'm glad to hear that respite care for your Grandmother is being provided. It's so important for the caregiver to consider her own needs and to make sure she's taking care of herself. You know how on airplanes they tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first, then help your family members? Because if you are incapacitated you can't help anyone? It's important for your Grandmother to "take the oxygen first."

I would recommend you contact Karen Karle. She runs several support groups and has had a lot of experience helping caregivers. Her company is called Dementia Caregiver Resources Inc., and her number is (727) 391-9999. Her e-mail address is karenkarle@knowlogy.net. If you send me your address, I can mail you one of her pamphlets. It has a lot of good information and resources in it.

If you and your Grandmother are considering nursing home care for your grandfather, I recommend she make an appointment with us for a free consultation. We can help her find the right facility (that meets his needs as well as hers) and help her get assistance paying for his care.

Keep me posted on their progress, and let me know how I can help. You hang in there, and don't forget to take the oxygen yourself.