Hi. I’m caring for my dad in his home pretty much 24/7. I get about 4 hours of home health for him a few days a week, which helps me get a break. My dad is in his late 70s, has chronic heart failure, advancing Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia which got a lot worse following knee replacement surgery this past January. He did 5 weeks in a rehab program and then helped him come home with a hospital bed and commode in the living room, rolling walker and wheelchair. He was told it was safe for him to get the surgery by his specialists and that if he didn’t get the surgery, he’d end up in pain and a wheelchair the rest of his life. We thought we were doing what was best for him. Now, he’s losing the ability to walk as he refuses to do his exercises because he’s too tired to stay awake and sleeping a lot more now. He’s receiving hospice at home, now on a catheter (complication from the anesthesia) and I’m helping him with bowel disimpaction when he gets constipated despite daily laxative and stool softeners. Very isolating and so difficult as I learn that dementia can suddenly get much worse sometimes and experiencing ambiguous loss. I try to do the best I can but it’s so hard and looking to connect with other caregivers who can relate, provide support, tips and encouragement. Thanks
