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re: How do people die from Alzheimers and dementia?
Posted on 6/26/16 at 2:51 pm to papasmurf1269
Posted on 6/26/16 at 2:51 pm to papasmurf1269
Since the brain controls organ functions, eventually organs start to fail. One of the common signs is when the circulatory system starts to fail.
0
Posted on 6/26/16 at 2:54 pm to wdhalgren
quote:
Aspiration pneumonia, infected decubitus ulcers, complications from falling down are fairly common. And the normal diseases of old age.
This. Add bladder infections. CONSTANT bladder infections and eventual urosepsis. They slowly become a big, very old baby. Without the benefits of a decent immune system.
They get sicker and more frail. All while still taking medications for heart and blood pressure. Also diabetes meds. If you are weak and not eating, your medication needs are always changing. Causing hypotension and hypoglycemia.
On and on and on. It's terrible.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 2:57 pm to papasmurf1269
It's the side effects of the disease that cause death. I believe the most common is starvation caused by inability to swallow.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:06 pm to papasmurf1269
Your brain forgets to make the heart pump or you to breathe. Terrible
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:08 pm to geauxnavybeatbama
Generally people don't get so far that they lose brain stem function. You'd have to keep someone alive by artificial nutrition for a while.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:10 pm to papasmurf1269
Ultimately, forgetting to eat.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:17 pm to Patrick_Bateman
My mother is in the throngs of this right now at the age of 68. It's fricking awful and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. The disease progresses at different levels in people. Two years ago she could talk but was pretty scattered. She's now basically a mute. The day she passes will be bittersweet as another poster mentioned. I'll be broken but happy to see her pain end.
frick Alzheimer's
frick Alzheimer's
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:33 pm to SerenityNow
Good lord. Prayers to all of you dealing with this. I too was uninformed as to how it actually works- think I'd rather have not known. Sounds unimaginably awful.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:35 pm to Gulf Coast Tiger
Sad to say, but I've seen an old demented person with the just enough mental power to breath and keep the vital organs functioning kept alive on a feeding tube for pension and soc sec checks. It was despicable.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:49 pm to papasmurf1269
My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago from this horrible disease. She fell ill with a UTI. She became septic and this exacerbated her progress with AD. She pretty much forgot how to eat and her body quit telling her she needed to eat. We tried everything under the sun but eventually she succumbed. I'm not exactly sure what the death certificate wording will be but probably something cardiac related.
ETA: the doctors posed the question as to if we wanted to place a feeding tube but we said no as she had a living will and requested no artificial nutrition to prolong the dying process.
ETA: the doctors posed the question as to if we wanted to place a feeding tube but we said no as she had a living will and requested no artificial nutrition to prolong the dying process.
This post was edited on 6/26/16 at 3:51 pm
Posted on 6/26/16 at 3:49 pm to killercoconut
Why would somebody down vote me? Seemed like good info.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 4:11 pm to papasmurf1269
My Grandma was physically very healthy when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Eventually she quit taking care of herself, but family intervention worked to keep her relatively healthy.
About 6 months before she died she quit eating on her own. Medication was adjusted and she did ok for awhile being fed. A few weeks before she passed, she refused to take anything.
Hospice was called in and we just waited while she slowly passed. It was very sad, but I already felt like she had been gone for a long time.
About 6 months before she died she quit eating on her own. Medication was adjusted and she did ok for awhile being fed. A few weeks before she passed, she refused to take anything.
Hospice was called in and we just waited while she slowly passed. It was very sad, but I already felt like she had been gone for a long time.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 4:13 pm to killercoconut
quote:It was good info and thanks for it.
why would somebody down vote me? Seemed like good info.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 4:25 pm to papasmurf1269
Both of my maternal grandparents died from this horrible disease. My grandfather passed away first. It was a few months after his death that my grandmother(his wife) started showing symptoms of the disease herself. She died almost exactly 2 years to the day her husband had passed away.
It truly terrifies me that this is something I too could face one day. I think I would rather be robbed of my mobility than of my mind. I didn't live near them in their last years so didn't see how much the disease affected them like other family did. However, I did have moments when I would speak to one of them on the phone....and they didn't know who I was. Those moments just broke my heart. Even though I wasn't there with them right before they each passed....the one thing I'm most grateful for was that my last time spent with my grandfather and then my grandmother....they knew who I was and we could just be happy to see and spend time with each other.
It truly terrifies me that this is something I too could face one day. I think I would rather be robbed of my mobility than of my mind. I didn't live near them in their last years so didn't see how much the disease affected them like other family did. However, I did have moments when I would speak to one of them on the phone....and they didn't know who I was. Those moments just broke my heart. Even though I wasn't there with them right before they each passed....the one thing I'm most grateful for was that my last time spent with my grandfather and then my grandmother....they knew who I was and we could just be happy to see and spend time with each other.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:09 pm to papasmurf1269
quote:
what about these horrible diseases actually causes people to die?
There's this awesome new invention called Google that helps prevent you from looking like an idiot.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:10 pm to Pectus
quote:
The brain just deteriorates to the point where it can't control normal functions. Functions for existence, eventually.
It's insane to me that we put down a housecat or pet dog well before they would reach such awful levels yet with humans we drag it on as long as medically possible, cause both the victim and their friend/families undue suffering, embarrassment, and ultimately resentment. We rob family of blessed and good memories and replace them with memories of shite and stench and frustration. It's awful.
Horrendous mix of religious superstition and healthcare greed
This post was edited on 6/26/16 at 5:11 pm
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:15 pm to Gulf Coast Tiger
quote:
Slowly and horribly. The families suffer the most
The families suffer more than the person? bullshite.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:29 pm to SirWinston
quote:
healthcare greed
I wouldn't say that. The general public is just not well informed of the importance of living wills that specifically spell out what measures you want for yourself if placed in a medical situation like that.
When there are no living will in place, or when family members are not aware of a loved one's final wishes....some family members just fall back on demanding that everything possible be done to save the person....without really considering the quality of life, etc in doing such a thing. If the family is demanding everything possible be done....you can see why a doctor/hospital will do what they can to please them. If the family thinks everything possible wasn't done to save their family member, they could try and sue.
Technology is a double edged sword. Sometimes just because we can do something medically...doesn't mean we always should.
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:34 pm to lsunurse
My grandmother passed away from Alzheimer's 12 years ago. The hardest part towards the end, was her not even knowing who I was.
Is there any evidence that it's hereditary?
Is there any evidence that it's hereditary?
Posted on 6/26/16 at 5:51 pm to Breauxsif
quote:
Is there any evidence that it's hereditary?
quote:
Another strong risk factor is family history. Those who have a parent, brother, sister or child with Alzheimer’s are more likely to develop the disease. The risk increases if more than one family member has the illness. When diseases tend to run in families, either heredity (genetics) or environmental factors, or both, may play a role.
Alzheimer's Association website
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