Mimi

I don't know what the answer is either, but we have got to do something soon. I was thinking about getting her a dog for companionship (we all know how much she loves schnauzers) but how will she remember to feed a pet when I know she isn't remembering to feed herself (except for ALL sweets). One of the ladies that works at the Atlanta branch (Delores) has her mom living w/ her but has to pay a caregiver b/c her mom started wandering and getting lost. Delores has been telling me all sorts of things about Alzheimer's that I didn't know....like, the "laps" Robin said she did while she was watching TV around the den and living room is a sign and called "pacing", and the only eating sweets or not eating is a sign b/c their brain stops recognizing the stomach's signal of hunger, and the hiding her purse and forgetting where she put it and feeling of paranoia (about her purse and w/ barricading the door even when the house alarm is on). Also, like I said her mom was wandering and getting lost and, while I don't think mom is "there" yet, she told me last month that she wants a GPS b/c she gets lost - I asked, WHERE are you going that you get lost? and she avoided answering. Anyway, this ladies mom is further into it but she had A LOT of the same characteristics. She has her mom on a patch b/c her mom can't remember to take the pills; however, the patch is almost $300/month and we know how mom is about money. Also, Delores suggested a website and I'll email it to everyone - when she contacted them she told them she had no idea how much info and help they could provide and the Association told her they hear that a lot. Lastly, she suggested a movie that she bought off of PBS after they aired a program that she said helped her tremendously. I'll email all this to everyone tonight and we have got to make a plan.