Covid and dementia

[Captain Bill Burt]

Anyone have any experience with the impact Covid has on dementia patients?  I'm trying to give my mother some peace of mind with regard to my father's dementia status.  She's second guessing her decisions about his health care and really suffering from blaming herself. 

 

He was undergoing a fairly typical slow decline until recently when he contracted Covid, was hospitalized, then transferred to a dementia center to try to get his aggression under control.  From the point he contracted Covid his mental status has dropped off a cliff both cognitively and behaviorly.

 

I've tried to get answers from his doctor and some of the nurses at the center, but it's hard to get time with them and even harder to get an answer beyond 'his mind is gone and not coming back.'

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Being familiar with dementia / Alzheimer's, I offer my prayers and sympathies for all of his family and friends.  These diseases are terribly hard on everyone the victim knows and the victim soon knows nothing about what's going on around him.

 

Of all the inflictions of the human race, these are the worst.

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Unfortunately , I dont think Doctors have a answer , they dont know Covid is different for each person and vax is frankly  well a guinea pig test .
Dementia , Is harder on those that have to deal with it , and I feel for those 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I don't know that Covid itself might trigger it, but any sort of trauma can. I had a Great Aunt who into her 80s, was living by herself, and quite capable. She was even in a hiking club, and went on hikes at least once a week. 

She took a tumble down her basement stairs, NOT hitting her head, but slid down on her knees.

My first wife and I visited her in the Facility she was in while on Leave. In three corridors of the place, she took us on a walking, (she was wheelchair bound) tour of Columbus Ohio. In 1927. The year she was Miss Ohio.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

12 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

Of all the inflictions of the human race, these are the worst.

Alzheimer's and Cancer are the two things that really scare me about getting old.

[Blackwater 53393]

Lost my father to dementia several years ago. His was the result of a surgery that didn’t go as we expected. At the time, aneurysm surgery was iffy and the doctors didn’t make that clear before doing the procedure.

 

Anyhow, dad came home a little disoriented and not really himself. He tried to go back to work, but just wasn’t able to do like before.  That became frustrating for him. This over the period of about a year and a half.

He just kinda’ gave up.  He started wandering off and would end up miles away and wondering how and why he was somewhere and didn’t remember. This went on for about six months.

 

When he was told he couldn’t drive anymore, he became belligerent and sometimes took it out on my mom. It wasn’t long, (about five weeks) before she had to call the sheriff to get him calmed down and shortly after that, we had to have him moved to an assisted living facility.

 

While he was still able to interact with people, he would often ask why he was “in jail”.  Soon afterward he was moved into a Veteran’s Home and he was gone for a year or more before he finally, mercifully passed.

 

Eighteen years later, it STILL tears at my soul!!

[Eyesa Horg]

Capt.,

Sympathy & Prayers heading up for you and your parents. Alzheimer's is such an unfair disease, lost both my in-laws to it years ago. 

Eyesa & Ellie 

[DeaconKC]

Praying for you and your family.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Alzheimer's is a hidious disease!  I lost my father to it in 2005 at age 81 after a battle of several years.  Will not go into details because it still brings back too many bad memories of that time.  I wish to remember him in the good times before it took his mind and body.

 

It also took all 3 of his brothers which brings me much concern for me and my 2 brothers.

[Warden Callaway]

Dad passed a few weeks before age 95 with a clear mind. Mom passed away at 85 with a lot of health problems, dementia included. She started showing signs in her 50s. Not remembering kid names, etc. It got worse. At one point she spent a couple of months in detoxification in hospital.  She had so many doctors prescribing so much medication she was wacky. Had visits and conversations with people that had been dead 30 years.  Dad passed away about a month before her but she kept asking how he was doing.  Her two younger sisters tried to help her and visit with her but she got so hateful they stopped trying.  Mom said they just wanted her money. She didn't have enough money to fight over. 

 

I don't think doctors know how to treat this condition.  Probably make it worse with medications.

[Cypress Sun]

Bill

 

You have my sincerest wishes for an answer to your question. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a clear answer, just the people left loving a person that's no longer there.

 

It's hard, real hard. My thoughts are with you and your family. Know that you are not alone in this battle.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

There are so many things that seem to bring on or enhance dementia.

My beloved wife was in slow decline but I was able to look after her at home.

She was getting a little confused from time to time.

She was dealing with Diabetes and it's attendant issues; eyes, circulation etc, a couple of minor strokes, vertigo that affected her ability to walk unaided (used a walker and a chair lift for the stairs) but she kept trying.

One thing that brought it home to me was on our 53rd anniversary. She thought it was our 25th!

The beginning of the end came, later that year, when she had a bowel blockage that required surgery.

The General anesthetic triggered "Acute Confusion/Dementia" and she was never again able to come home.

Sadly, her decline in hospital, then Long Term Care, was rapid, leading to her passing in 10 months, in spite of great care in the hospital and the LTC facility.

She had tested positive for Covid on her entry to the LTC Home and was isolated for 2 weeks till she threw it off.

I THINK there are likely a number of issues that become aggravated with the introduction of the Covid virus in a person whose health is already compromised.

[Captain Bill Burt]

5 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

Bill

 

You have my sincerest wishes for an answer to your question. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a clear answer, just the people left loving a person that's no longer there.

 

It's hard, real hard. My thoughts are with you and your family. Know that you are not alone in this battle.

Thank you. 

 

I think this is the reality.  His body is still strong, but he's not there anymore. 

 

He was undergoing pretty typical dementia, just a long slow slide, then he had surgery under general anesthesia and that knocked him down noticeably.  The slow decline resumed after that, but he was still himself, pretty much, more irritable, forgetful, but still himself.  Last month he got a UTI and then Covid.  He got mad and attacked my brother with a hammer.  That got him hospitalized and sedated, repeatedly. 

 

I did get an answer, sort of.  His new doctor called me a few hours ago and discussed his situation.  She thinks the Covid attacked his brain and  the damage is irreversible.   

 

I drove down and saw him, but part of me wishes I hadn't.  That's a memory I could do without.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Sorry to be a downer, but I needed to get that out.

 

Sitting at home with the kids makes it a lot better.

[Cypress Sun]

3 minutes ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Sorry to be a downer, but I needed to get that out.

 

You're not being a downer, you're just down.

 

Some of us have been through it, some of us are going through it now and all of us that have love for other people are going to go through it...sooner or later. 

 

The need to show our frustrations and sorrows is human. I think the folks here in the Saloon, just like the folks at the matches have caring and sympathetic ears...sometimes strangers make good listeners.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

The last time I talked to my Mom was not long before she died, and she had it bad. I was here in Arizona, she was back in Ohio. She had no idea who I was, and my ex-sister had to hold the phone for her because she couldn't figure out how it was supposed to go.

[DeaconKC]

We lost all four parents in a four year period. I understand and am praying for you.

[Still hand Bill]

First, I am sorry you have to go through this with a parent.  Horrible disease.  
I know they talk about COVID brain and I have been around several people who had big cognitive declines from COVID.   Very scary imho.   The people who had it the worst were the ones in the first round of the virus in 2020. 
Based on this I expect covid may have been a contributing factor to the changes you are experiencing.   It could be the COVID made the Alzheimer’s worse or the COVID simply did additional damage.  

[Sedalia Dave]

5 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

You're not being a downer, you're just down.

 

Some of us have been through it, some of us are going through it now and all of us that have love for other people are going to go through it...sooner or later. 

 

The need to show our frustrations and sorrows is human. I think the folks here in the Saloon, just like the folks at the matches have caring and sympathetic ears...sometimes strangers make good listeners.

 

+100

[watab kid]

i wish i had some definitive answers , i dont , i do have first hand experience with my MIL and dementia , she has been in that care section for a few months now , last week they told us she gad been exposed to covid , - limited visits etc , but as it turns out she had a mini stroke and is declining due to that , we are now dealing with hospice care , its not anything we are unfamiliar with as she herself was a hospice minister years ago , 

 

my take here is , after going thru it with both my parents , none of it is fun , most of it is sad , you just have to keep i mind that your parents went thru your entry into life now your returning the favor in their exit from life ,

i dont mean to seem callous in any way  , im simply telling you to give all you can at this point , you will live to remember it and it will stay with you , both of mine did and do to this day , now im getting to do it again , its the way of life , something we dont think about much when we are in our prime of life , but it comes to us all , 

 

my father passed in 2000 my mother in 2010 so ive had time to think on this , my MIL is over 90 and we are in the middle of it now , i dont think the covid had any affect but it may have added to the conditions that led to the stroke , im not sure how this will play out but i know the end result and suspect its coming quicker than we had hoped , i wish you well in your situation , know you are not alone , and also know one day we all will be there so take solice in giving what you can to make it as easy on all you love as you can , 

[Sedalia Dave]

Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Something I have learned over the last couple of years due to first hand experience with my late wife. Make sure she gets tested for a UTI even if there are no symptoms. Some UTIs do not manifest themselves with the typical symptoms. Those same UTIs cause side effects that mimic Dementia/Alzheimer's.