repeating same info over and over...

What do you do when an Alheimer's patient repeats the same information over and over? Is there any way to limit this behavior without upsetting her? I try not to get frustrated when my Mom tells me the same thing (or asks a question I just answered) repeatedly, but it sometimes drives me nuts. Is there any way to nudge her to stop repeating so much without upsetting her?

Even if you told her to stop repeating herself, she will forget that you told her to. It's the nature of the beast unfortunately. I relate it to talking to a child in a grown up voice. You treat them like you would an inquisitive child, answer the same questions over and over again. Would you lose patience with a 3 year old that kept asking the same question? Most would not. But sometimes if you redirect her thought processes by showing her something or have her do something else, it can stop the repetitive questioning much like the proverbial child.

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....After having a seizure n being on life support for quite some time i am finally now just starting to get back alot of memory i had lost or buried deep down.....it was so very frustrating for me n i just wanted it to stop nibbling at me to remember things dates times places n ppl...i feel i was finally able to truly empathize to a lesser degree of how the AD person feels.....lost,scared....confused......i have been able to refain most of it but some memories are still lost until something or someone jogs them for me...at first i did not even remember that my mother had passed away...this was the most horrible feeling i have ever gone thru....As Red said you have to have patience and just remember this is not their fault , Red has given great advice imho .Love her and just know it is the disease.......take care

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Post Edited (Howlyncat) : 10/8/2009 1:17:09 PM (GMT-6)

If your loved one repeat the same question multiple times she is not trying to annoy you, she truly believes it is the first time she is asking you the question, and your job is to reply as if it's the first time she is asking the question.
This isn't easy and it takes a load of patience to accomplish, but try your best, and remember, her reality is now different than yours. Reminding her she forgot won't change this fact, and will only make her worse.
so hang in there and keep practicing in everyday interactions with her... ........................................Deleted other  post as it only had one word in it .......thanks....Lyn                                                                                                         

Post Edited By Moderator (Howlyncat) : 10/7/2009 11:25:13 PM (GMT-6)

AMEN!!!!!

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SnowyLynne

This must be so frustrating to have the same thing said over and over again. I know, I have been there. In many cases I would just smile at my dad, or let him know I understand. For example, he may tell me that the game is on tonight and he needs to watch it like 50 times. I would respond as calm as possible "Ok dad I'll make sure the TV is ready for you" Then I try to change to subject to get his mind off the game, otherwise he may just repeat it again and again. So maybe try to get to distract your mom and bring up another subject for her to focus on. My dad likes to talk about his grandkids so I always bring them up when I need to distract him.

Put youself in the repeaters shoes. I have short term memmory loss. My husband gets so frustrated when I ask him something he has just told me. Or repeat the same thing over and over and over. Sorry I can't help it. I just say I may have asked before but please tell me again I will try to focus this time. I'm not sure how alshimers works. I can still remember when I was three, My wedding, my first communion , when my grandfather died, my mom, my dad. But if you ask me about what I did yesterday ??????? Two months ago my brother passed away I don't know what I wore or how I got there. Ayway I went to visit one of my older sisters who is home bound a few weeks later and she asked me if I had seen my oldest brother at the funeral. I responded what funeral??? She said our brothers. I said which one . She said you kidding my kids saw you there with your grand kids. Maybe I just wanted to forget that one. He was the only one I could really relate to because of our similar iliness. Have to stop and think a long time. My problem is the only person close enough to talk to is my husband so I just try not to say much to him any more . I have no one to talk to and I am so frustrated and so alone, I could't began to tell you how many times I just break down and cry . Something as simple as" did I already add salt". Or just spilling a glass of water..Just make me crying for an hour. my memmory may improve with time. but I don't some one with alhimers has that possibly. I really miss my brother. about two weeks before he passed on , I went to visit him as usual and he knew he wasen't going to live much longer so he gave me some of his valued sentimentals. He said because you appreciate thing that others don't I said wait a minute what happens if I go first . Am I supposed to send back to you. Then we just joked around and laughed.


Memmories wether New Or Old ''Good or Bad Are A Great Loss
For All Involved I'm Sure it is Very Difficult Just remember "The Greatest Is Love

june

I have Vascular Dementia & also at times ask questions over & over.That's the way it is,like it or not.........

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SnowyLynne

AMEN.......Snowy.......luvs lyn

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Have you experienced taking your child on a trip? Many will recall: "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" Many parents become upset, others just smile and try to distract them. Our daughter use to turn the question around to her children, asking them if we were there yet.
Think about it; child and parent, you may well haven driven your Mom nuts, like all children do at times.

May your God go with you.
Padraig

Alazheimer's does that to a person,nothing you can do about it........

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SnowyLynne

Like Snowy says, nothing you can do about it, except to love them all the more as you would do a disabled child. Alzheimer's disables the person.

Padraig

Thank you both for clarifying that.....luvs lyn

miss you my friend ....God bless

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It is a cruel dd and i despise it as well......we are here for support...just keep loving her w/o condition...lyn

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