--- In wernicke_korsakoff_syndrome@yahoogroups.com, "jonell"
<jnll@a...> wrote:
> what I am asking is how can we do more for him than just meet his
> immediate needs?
> jnll in Ar.

Hi Jonell:

I think you can hope for improvement but yes it can take up to a
year. I think that the Exelon along with Namenda has helped my mom
tremomdously. Does it improve her memory? No. But it does seem to
make her more in touch with reality. Of course, this can cause anger
and resentment because the reality is that she has lost control of
her life. Notes definately help. I have some posted around her
room. One near the pull cord so she knows it is okay to pull and
fire engines won't come, just an aide. We had to post signs to
remind her to use her walker and wheelchair (she fractured her
tibial plateau a few weeks ago.) I post all her appointments/visits
on a calender. All my mom really wants to do is watch tv. but that
gets her frustrated because she keeps screwing up the remote and
doesn't remember what she did or how to fix it. Then she says I have
to call the cable company because the cable isn't working! As I said
in my previous post today (apparantly I have a lot to say today:)
having something to look forward to seemed to help. One problem your
patient may experience that my mom does is that she has very few
people in her facility that she can relate to. They are mostly all
elderly and she is 64. She really can't relate to them so she won't
participate in the activities offered at her facility which is why
she sticks to the TV and reading. She reads the newpapers all the
time but if you ask her about a current event she has no idea or
can't discuss it. No new memories.

She was tested by a neuropsychologist last year which revealed that
her short term memory and attention span are extremely impaired.
Long term memory and intellect are fine. So she can appear perfectly
normal and carry on great conversations plus she is an expert at
faking it. Just recently, when the neurologist asked her who was
president she hesitated and then said Bush, they are always
president! I think she meant the father but with a laugh she can
make it seem like a political commentary. He asked her who would be
next president and she said she wouldn't get into that conversation,
again with a laugh, but I think really she couldn't answer who else
was running. And then people look at me and say what are you talking
about:) After that test she was put on Exelon and then most recently
Namenda (in response to depression, anger, frustration) and that
seems to have really helped. Not with memory but quality of life.
She will be retested again in the near future to see if there is any
decline or improvement.

I don't know why your patient is in skilled nursing but to improve
his quality of life he should be seen by a neurologist who would
handle his care. My mom was in skilled nursing for PT and while they
would have kept her it was clear she didn't belong there. She cannot
live independently as it would be dangerous, ie shutting off the
stove, locking doors, driving OMG, but with some assistance and
reminders she can live as independently as possible.

I wish you patient the very best. I hope this helps. He is lucky to
have you there. Take care, Kathy