Mary, Thanks for the nice note. I too support the people who choose NH
placement. For us, it just didn't do the job. I was under more stress
watching Ken get worse and my not being near him. I took the helper into
the NH for 6 hours a day for a week before deciding to take Ken home. When
even the NH staff noticed the improvement with one-on-one care, we went
home. I am grateful that we have a home with an extra bedroom and that could
be made wheelchair accessable. Medicare pays for a nurse to come in every two
weeks to check on things and would send more help if I were alone or if our
helper needs help, which he doesn't need right now. As with all things
dealing with this illness, we take it one day at a time, but as of now Ken'
improvement is nothing short of miraculous. As I said, he has added both
Aricept and Pro-amatine to his meds, so it isn't just the home care that is
doing the job. It is not always easy finding the tight person, but they are
out there, and I know you will find the one that fits for you. Good Luck.
Barbara Smith
