I posted on my personal Facebook page yesterday a thank you to all the Veterans and current military members in my family. I was able to list and thank 17 people! I couldn’t believe we had THAT MANY people from my family serving.
Thank you to each and every Veteran and current military member! Your service and sacrifice are acknowledged and appreciated.
I did withdraw from that group on Facebook that I found so depressing and found a couple more that were much more appropriate for me. They’re even so specific as to be for female caregivers of early-onset dementia patients. Who would have thought?
There was one post over the weekend that was REALLY eye-opening. The woman who posted it said we were free to use it as we liked, so I’m pasting it below. They’re her words, so she’s talking about her husband, Patrick. But her experiences are very daunting. And I’m afraid they may be my future.
Did you know that there are medical personnel and first-responders that are uneducated about the difference between Early-Onset Alzheimer’s and Early Stage Alzheimer’s?
Early-onset is someone diagnosed before the age of 65. It is extremely rare and extremely rapid. Most patients, like my husband Patrick, are diagnosed at the end of Mid to late stage.
This is one of the main reasons the Alzheimer’s community has started to shift the name to Younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
When Patrick had his seizure back in June, not only was I a mess because at the time, we didn’t know what happened because it was non violent seizure and I thought heart attack, but I had to educate everyone (except the actual doctor) about it.
The ER nurse actually got annoyed with me because he kept asking Alzheimer’s 1 2,3 or 4 and I would reply, no, Early-onset.
On his 3rd time to repeat himself he added, “I understand he is in early stages of Alzheimer’s, but I need to know what type he has, is it 1 2 3 or 4?
Me..”No what you need to understand is that he has Early-onset and he is late stage. Type in Early onset and I guarantee you will find the code you need.
Sure enough he did and boy was he surprised!
Please help give families like ours a voice. We need to change laws. We are too young to qualify for the same benefits that the elderly get.
Did you know our private health insurance only allows 25 days a year in a skilled nursing facility and 60 days a year for home healthcare services? I did get a private policy through John Hancock 15 years ago for home heath care, but the standard deduction is the first 100 days out of pocket.
Did you know memory care facilities are almost twice the cost of others? Did you know if a patient is violent with Younger-onset that they can actually get kicked out? There is a huge difference between the strength of a frail 85 year old man and that of a healthy 35 year old.
Did you know we are too young for Medicare and must wait 2 years from date of 1st disability check to qualify? So that is 2 years and 7 month after approval for disability.
Did you know they do a 5 year glance back for Medicaid, which means they basically have to have no more than just under $900 of anything of value over the last 5 years?
Elder planning, this is taken care of. Imagine if you are in the prime of your life?
Patrick’s truck alone disqualifies him.
Most patients live 3-5 years after diagnosis.
Did you know after you are approved for disability, you must be dying for 5 consecutive months before you are eligible for your first payment? You must then survive your 6th month and will receive mid 7th month?
None of this makes sense. This is what happens when the public is unaware…our government gets by with passing these stupid laws.
If you have ever once shared anything I have ever posted, this is the one thing I pray you find in your heart to share.
This is awareness month. Help create the impact we so desperately need. We cannot do this without you…..Clearly, since it has been known since 1908!
Thank you.
This was really stunning. And helps explain why M seems to have gotten so much worse so fast. I really thought we had a couple more years between his diagnosis and the time he would have to quit working, and it barely took six months.
Wow.
My dad was in WWII, my husband and brother served during the Vietnam era. I am so thankful for all our veterans.
Good for you getting out of the other group. This information is really good to know. Your husband might be eligible for VA benefits for medical care expenses. I think it is called Aid and Assistance. Because my dad served in WWII, I was able to apply for benefits under this program for my mom. As long as she was at home she didn’t have enough medical expenses to qualify, but once she went to assisted living she qualified. If you lived in Georgia I would put you in contact with the State Director for VA Services and he could provide qualifying specifics. I had no idea about this program until a life-long friend informed me. She was heavily involved as the historian of her dad’s WWII division and was a wealth of information.
Thank you to all your family for their service!
And thank you for this information – this is GREAT!
I didn’t delete the bookmark! This is the website for the Aid and Assistance Benefit with the VA. I hope this will help you.
http://www.veteranaid.org/about.php
My cousin’s husband was diagnosed with Early Onset Frontal Lobe Dementia. He became so violent toward her that she had no choice but to live separately from him. He has been thrown out or rejected from memory care facilities because of his violence. She is in a corner with nowhere to turn for help. All his life, he was a kind, funny, and upstanding man that loved and adored her. It’s such a sad situation any way you look at it. I would like to share this with her.
I asked my husband’s neurologist if his was the frontal lobe type, after seeing a report on 60 Minutes about it, but the doctor said no. It’s early-onset or young-onset, but that’s it. Please feel free to share this blog. I hope it’s helpful and I appreciate any advice anyone is willing to share.