All of a sudden his appetite is diminishing. Cannot tell if he is hungry or not and eats much less than usually. He is losing his sense of direction, does not know which way to turn with the walker to get from the bathroom to the living room or bedroom. Looking at recent pictures he does not recognize himself and cannot associate his name with himself. Has constant very loose bowel movements in spite of the Immodium I give him. Has diabetes 2, high blood pressure, takes a lot of pills every day, which may be part of the cause. He is tired all day. What can I do?
I usually look at the Stages that are listed for Alzheimers to see what types of things my loved one is exhibiting to give me an idea of where she is. My loved one has all the signs of Stage 6 or Severe Stage, but she still has good verbal skills and can feed herself, so I don't know how far away from the Final Stage or Stage 7 she is.
Signs of the stage can also fluctuate, so you may not know how close they are to the Final Stage. I think that knowing when the final phase is near might be difficult, unless it's very clear and they have stopped walking, talking, eating and staying awake.
I bet you will get some good advice here though, as others have gone through this.
I had to make the difficult decision this week to put him in a home as I am unable to do it all alone anymore. I do not want to bring anyone new into our home to help because he gets uncomfortable with others in the home. It is also more expensive than memory care facilities in our area.
It is hard to say how long your husband has left to live because the progression of the disease is unpredictable. My husband was doing pretty good until about a month ago and now his disease is moving very rapidly. It could slow down with his move into the home or accelerate. We just have to make decisions that are difficult but also keep in mind what is best for both of you. Prayers and hugs sent to you.
As Diana says, the disease is unpredictable. We'd all like a little more guidelines in what to expect, but as in so many things, we don't always get what we'd like.
I agree with Sunnygirl that it would be appropriate to consult with his doctor at this time. If your doctor thinks it is time for hospice, consider that seriously.
One thing you might try to add some sweet treats for your husband is dates. They are considered a fruit by the American Diabetic Association. They're SO sweet you can eat one and be pretty satisfied. They have a lot of fiber, which helps with their absorption.
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/fruits.html
But what if you just reverted back to sugar? You say your husband is not eating much. Would he really consume so much sugar that it would be a problem? There is nothing, including sugar, that a diabetic can't eat, given reasonable portion control.
At this point, in my philosophy anyway, the main purpose of food is to give pleasure. I'm not saying to give up on nutritious food entirely, but I wouldn't (and didn't) deprive my husband of treats as he nears the final stage of his life.
Dementia is a terminal disease. No amount of spinach and kale and avocado is going to reverse it. A cup of hot tea with honey or slice of pound cake at least gives pleasure.
If you husband is taking pills for Type II diabetes, she still should be able to handle some small amounts of treats. My cousin, takes pills for hers and she has some small treats everyday. She just got her A!C and it's excellent!
And if he's taking Metformin, that could also cause loose stools. Many people can't tolerate it. There are substitutes. My cousin was switched to substitutes and now has no intestinal distress.