awareness

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

My mom's situation is deteriorating gradually and steadily. We are still

waiting for a NH placement. The caregivers in her building have increased their

monitoring and of course I am as involved as ever and even more. Her

hallucinations and Capgras Syndrome are increasing so I will ask to have her

Seroquel increased a bit. She only takes 25mg 2x per day at this time. When

she first started taking it there seemed to be a positive effect, so hopefully

another slight increase will help. We play along with her hallucinations, but

with the Capgras we try to stress that she is in her own apartment so that she

won't leave. She even thinks that the food in her fridge belongs to someone

else.

A major concern that I have is that everytime she comes out of a situation, or

says something that is off base, she says that she is going crazy or is stupid.

Are your loved ones as aware and as verbal as my mom seems to be about her

'mistakes' (her word)? I could handle all of the behaviours that are evident

more easily if I knew that she were not so aware and upset. She has even said

that maybe she is hallucinating or dreaming. I'm just curious to know if she

is unusual in her degree of awareness or is this common.

Doris, daughter of Ramona, 78yrs old, first diagnosed with AD in Sep 2004, then

changed to LBD in March of 2005. Living independently with much support until

now. On waiting list for NH. Meds: Reminyl, Wellbutrin and Seroquel.

(Mississauga, Canada)