What happens when we get old?

[Purple Frog]

If you have the DS, what happens when we are old and cannot be personally compliant with aftercare/supplementation?

Part of what scares me about the DS is the lack of knowledge by medical professionals/nutritionists (even down to the surgeons performing the operations!) about the supplementation that would be required for the rest of our lives.

What happens if you end up in a nursing home, or with Alzheimer's (God forbid), and your care falls to somebody else? How will you ensure that you get what you need, e.g. annual blood workups, supplements at the levels you require them, etc?

I might be a little paranoid.

 

[southernlady]

Thankfully my husband is 6 years YOUNGER than me and a DS'er too.

 

[DianaCox]

I'm training my kids to understand and advocate for my needs - but you can also prepare detailed written instructions for the future.

 

[JackieOnLine]

excellent post, people need to think about this

 

[DianaCox]

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

 

[Barbara]

Thankfully my husband is 6 years YOUNGER than me and a DS'er too

@southernlady Weren't you smart!!!!!

 

[Barbara]

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

@DianaCox I heartily agree. I hope my siblings are strong enough.

 

[k9ophile]

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

Me, too!

 

[newanatomy]

If I am no longer able to care for myself, I am fine with the alternative.

 

[Barb1]

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

Me too! I also have a notebook going with all the info my family would need. Plus they have my log in info for this site so if they need help they know where to go for help and suggestions if needed.

 

[Jo777]

Frankly, it's pretty bad even if you're a simple diabetic.. the "food" they feed you might as well be designed to get you into the grave sooner than later..

Unless you are in a very well funded LTC facility, or are being cared for by family, I'd imagine your specialized and not-well understood nutritional needs would quickly go by the wayside. You MAY get lucky and get proper supplementation, IF you had a Dr. onboard who rx'd the needed vites.. otherwise, that too I think would get ignored for expense and hassle reasons.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

What she ^^ said.

PLUS...there's the issue of FOLLOWING doctor's orders. I'm half Mexican, so I get the "honoring" the elderly bit. But that cultural quirk was why my diabetic mother kept getting orange juice, usually two glasses, at every meal, from the all-Latina waitstaff in the dining room at her next-to-the-last facility. They were simply incapable of denying her something they had and she wanted.

Right after both glasses ended up on the floor, they were a LITTLE better about it, but not all the time.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

If you have the DS, what happens when we are old and cannot be personally compliant with aftercare/supplementation?

Part of what scares me about the DS is the lack of knowledge by medical professionals/nutritionists (even down to the surgeons performing the operations!) about the supplementation that would be required for the rest of our lives.

What happens if you end up in a nursing home, or with Alzheimer's (God forbid), and your care falls to somebody else? How will you ensure that you get what you need, e.g. annual blood workups, supplements at the levels you require them, etc?

I might be a little paranoid.

Without the DS, there was no chance I would get as old as I am now.

If I end up in a nursing home or with Alzheimer's, I want to die ASAP and I'm afraid going from malnutrition will take too long.

REALLY, my being kept alive with mechanical means or with good diet in the presence of ongoing dementia would not be doing ME any favors.


And, for me anyway, "annual" is not enough on bloodwork. Two times a year on the entire panel, plus repeated retests of things out of range until I get them back in range.

 

[southernlady]

Frankly, it's pretty bad even if you're a simple diabetic.. the "food" they feed you might as well be designed to get you into the grave sooner than later..

Unless you are in a very well funded LTC facility, or are being cared for by family, I'd imagine your specialized and not-well understood nutritional needs would quickly go by the wayside. You MAY get lucky and get proper supplementation, IF you had a Dr. onboard who rx'd the needed vites.. otherwise, that too I think would get ignored for expense and hassle reasons.

Even in a WELL FUNDED LTC facility, the food is basically BAD esp for a diabetic or a DS'er. My daddy was in that type of facility... Tryon Estates costs a very pretty penny to get in and a hefty fee each month to STAY in...yet the meals were very heavy carbed based...

 

[brooklyngirl]

That's a really good idea @Barb1
And like @Spiky Bugger , I too, would NEVER have reached "old age". At over 400 pounds with diabetes, severe sleep apnea and SVT/AFib, I don't think I would've made it another 10 years. Plus, looking back, I was so physically disabled and miserable, I don't think I would've wanted to make it another 10 years like that. Maybe that sounds morbid, but even making it to that point will be a HUGE victory for me, and I wouldn't want to live for a long period of time in a nursing home and/or with Alzheimer's anyway.

 

[SHales]

I do not think I would have lived another 5 years without the DS so any time I get now is a bonus. If I end up with Alzheimer's I want out and my only worry is a slow death from lack of supplementation. My kids are aware of my needs and hopefully will be strong enough to do as I have requested in the event of a debilitating condition.