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• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 60 >> Failure of close person to recognise the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

He was able to care for her in their own home until a very short time before she died. She went into residential care for a short respite and settled in well. Soon afterwards when her condition deteriorated she was found a room and moved there permanently.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 25 >> Her husband was having difficulty reading and later with finding words.

Cared for by his wife at home. Was terrified when left in respite care so wife removed him within hours. Developed Parkinsons disease. Was admitted to hospital for assessment and subsequently transferred to residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 15 >> Her mother would blame other people for muddles she had made.

Her mother had been an independent widowed woman. They had hoped when they were able to move her nearby that this arrangement would be adequate for several years but before long she had to go into residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 15 >> Suspects that her mother has some idea what is wrong but is unsure that she wants it to be confirmed.

Her mother had been an independent widowed woman. They had hoped when they were able to move her nearby that this arrangement would be adequate for several years but before long she had to go into residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 09 >> Noticed that her mother was becoming more difficult.

Her mother, a strong minded widow, bitterly resisted surrendering her freedom and finally had to be sectioned before being transferred to residential care. She died recently twenty years after the first signs of her dementia, in a nursing home.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 07 >> Describes warning signs and his wife's reluctance to find out what was wrong.

Gradual onset mistaken for depression. Diagnosis given jointly to husband and wife. Slow progression. Problem with restlessness and wandering. Very involved with the local Alzheimers disease society. He tries to involve her in decisions where possible. Initially prescribed antidepressants later given trial of Reminyl. Later benifited from sedatives and sleeping tablets.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 31 >> Was slow to recognise that his wife was developing Alzheimer's.

He gave up work to be a full time carer but when she took to her bed for several months it was decided that she needed residential care. As she refused, it was necessary to section her to make the transfer possible.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 08 >> Knew something was wrong but didn't know what.

He felt he had to fight to get the care she needed when she needed it. Indignant that medication was refused on grounds of cost but did persuade GP to give Aricept though he admits it didn't do her any good. Life is very lonely since she died.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 46 >> Describes how the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was made.

When brain scan was found to be normal was admitted for a week's assessment. Diagnosed as having Pick's disease (fronto-temporal dementia) Cared for at home, with day care and regular residential respite, finally in residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 40 >> Daughter says that changes due to dementia were not always noticeable.

Gradual onset. Cared for at home for several years with support from daughter and local authority carers. Attended day centre. Sometimes husband would stay too. Died rapidly after moving to a nursing home from hospital following a fall at home.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 54 >> Mistook early signs of dementia for old age.

Cared for in her own home, initially supported by cleaner who had been with her for 20 years. Since the cleaner retired they have installed a live in carer. Arrangements for transfer to residential care in the near future are being considered.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 46 >> He realised that his wife was aware that something was happening to her.

When brain scan was found to be normal was admitted for a week's assessment. Diagnosed as having Pick's disease (fronto-temporal dementia) Cared for at home, with day care and regular residential respite, finally in residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 23 >> Describes why it was actually a help to have the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease confirmed.

Has been able to cope with caring for him at home. He attends a day centre and he has regular respite care. Doesn't feel ready to consider full time residential care for him but has felt it necessary to look out for homes which might be suitable.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 22 >> Describes her difficulty persuading her husband to see his doctor.

Was cared for at home until very recently when he was admitted to residential care. Before this he attended a day centre with residential respite every 6 weeks. Later was on Exelon but taken off when he developed side-effects.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 31 >> Describes why he feels it was inappropriate to refuse to include him in the investigation of his wife's problems.

He gave up work to be a full time carer but when she took to her bed for several months it was decided that she needed residential care. As she refused, it was necessary to section her to make the transfer possible.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 07 >> The specialist informed both him and his wife of her diagnosis. Over time he came to believe this had been appropriate.

Gradual onset mistaken for depression. Diagnosis given jointly to husband and wife. Slow progression. Problem with restlessness and wandering. Very involved with the local Alzheimers disease society. He tries to involve her in decisions where possible. Initially prescribed antidepressants later given trial of Reminyl. Later benifited from sedatives and sleeping tablets.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 16 >> Describes feeling dropped into thin air after the diagnosis - hospital test results were provided by letter but seemed irrelevant to her most pressing

He was cared for at home for 7 years. When things got really difficult he spent 18 months in residential care after which his wife was able to bring him home again with the additional support of either a live-in carer, or two live-in carers in rotation - working alternate weeks.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring with young children >> Interview 21 >> Would have been more patient with her husband had she known more about the nature of the disease.

Her husband developed Picks' disease when he was 57. The patchy nature of his dementia made it difficult to convince people that his problems were real. Delay in getting the diagnosis meant they experienced extreme difficulties in accessing his health insurance.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 09 >> The friend her mother consulted about her memory refused to discuss his findings with the daughter.

Her mother, a strong minded widow, bitterly resisted surrendering her freedom and finally had to be sectioned before being transferred to residential care. She died recently twenty years after the first signs of her dementia, in a nursing home.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 09 >> Believes the medical profession has some obligation towards those they cared for but in reality sees little of this.

Her mother, a strong minded widow, bitterly resisted surrendering her freedom and finally had to be sectioned before being transferred to residential care. She died recently twenty years after the first signs of her dementia, in a nursing home.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 31 >> Getting a diagnosis provided an explanation for apparent changes in his wife's personality.

He gave up work to be a full time carer but when she took to her bed for several months it was decided that she needed residential care. As she refused, it was necessary to section her to make the transfer possible.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 09 >> Describes how she felt it easier to cope with her mother's behaviour once she knew she had Alzheimer's disease.

Her mother, a strong minded widow, bitterly resisted surrendering her freedom and finally had to be sectioned before being transferred to residential care. She died recently twenty years after the first signs of her dementia, in a nursing home.

• Topic
• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Getting the diagnosis >> Getting the diagnosis

Getting the diagnosis

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Making the diagnosis >> Making the diagnosis

Making the Diagnosis

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 42 >> Early symptoms masqueraded as depression.

Became ill in his 50's. Suspected his own diagnosis but was told it was depression. Lived alone and attended day hospital for a year. Then in sheltered accommodation. Finally had to be sectioned and was in psychiatric hospital. Transferred to EMI home, still on Section 3, died 18 months later.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Women caring for partners >> Interview 16 >> Diagnosis was missed for two years when he was thought to be suffering from depression.

He was cared for at home for 7 years. When things got really difficult he spent 18 months in residential care after which his wife was able to bring him home again with the additional support of either a live-in carer, or two live-in carers in rotation - working alternate weeks.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Caring for parents >> Interview 52 >> Describes how he at least was not aware that his father had ever actually been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Deterioration was gradual over 14 years. Day care was gradually increased. Hospitalised when he became ill and then went into residential care where he was happy. Difficult for his wife as they had been married 74 years. She is now also in residential care.

• Nerves & brain >> Carers of people with dementia >> Men caring for partners >> Interview 60 >> Failure of close person to recognise the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

He was able to care for her in their own home until a very short time before she died. She went into residential care for a short respite and settled in well. Soon afterwards when her condition deteriorated she was found a room and moved there permanently.