Hi AuroraWA: You are right about the genetic factor which raise the risk of PD & plus more sensitive to pesticides. Not everyone is allergic to raisins like my kid, she has hay fever and many food allergies, which make her sensitive to pesticides. Raisins also has sulfur dioxide added as preservative. Sulfur dioxide is highest in yellow raisins, and that's her favorite for the past years. Thank God that my kid stops stuttering and neck-muscle-spasm after removal of raisins and dirty-dozen produce from her diet. Sam's Club, Walmart, and Trader's Joe all have organic produce at decent price. Genetic factor: if I have 1/4 cup of wine, I break out in rash rather than muscle-spasm. There's a genetic factor in Parkison's which makes a person more sensitive to pesticides. In my previous link on PD and hereditary, a twin posted on how his identical twin has PD, and he doesn't, see below link: "My identical twin brother has had Parkinson's for 14 years or so and has diskonesia; a side effect from the drugs he takes to manage his parkinsons. As we know identical twins start out from one egg and split into equal parts. Needless to say I don't have Parkinson's and can guarantee I will not get it. My twin brother is confined to his unit where he lives mostly and has cracked 9 ribs as well as his sturnum with the many falls caused by parkinsons." http://www.caring.com/questions/parkinsons-disease-hereditary Here's an excerpt from WebMD: "The UCLA researchers also found that people with a common variant of the ALDH2 gene are particularly vulnerable to these ALDH-inhibiting pesticides, according to a university news release. People with the variant are two to six times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those without the variant when exposed to the pesticides. The levels at which the pesticides inhibit ALDH are much lower than those at which they are currently used, according to the study in the Feb. 5 online issue of the journal Neurology ... "These pesticides are pretty ubiquitous, and can be found in our food supply and are used in parks and golf courses and in pest control inside buildings and homes." http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/news/20140203/more-pesticides-linked-to-parkinsons-risk From the below link: "According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation: Epidemiological research has identified several factors that may be linked to Parkinson’s, including rural living, well water, manganese and pesticides. Some studies have demonstrated that prolonged occupational exposure to certain chemicals is associated with an elevated risk of PD [Parkinson’s disease]. These include the insecticides permethrin and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH), the herbicides paraquat and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and the fungicide maneb. In 2009, the US Department of Veterans Affairs added Parkinson’s to a list of diseases possibly associated with exposure to Agent Orange.” Separate research has further revealed that ambient exposure to organophosphate pesticides also increased the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.6 Rotenone and paraquat are two additional pesticides linked to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, and both are lipophilic, meaning they resist breaking down in water and accumulate in your fat. Both are also known to cross your blood-brain barrier. Dousing our crops with large amounts of glyphosate ��" the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup ��" may be another factor in the rising rates of Parkinson’s disease we’re now seeing,7 as these residues are found in all virtually all food containing genetically modified ingredients. " Here is a link that might be useful: Pesticides that trigger PD This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Wed, Oct 8, 14 at 9:39

I agree that sometimes moving to an AD Facility is a symptom of a downturn and not the cause. IMO, though, it can also be a cause. Many people move to an AD facility when theyÂre already experiencing a downturn, and sometimes major change in their lives can cause a downturn. ThereÂs no way to know for sure. My dad landed in the ICU for a couple of weeks, transitioned to a full-blown nursing home for a couple of months, then moved into an assisted living facility. He experienced a major downturn. Any or all of these things could have contributed. But I do know this: he felt very angry and betrayed by having to give up his old life, his car, his dog and his freedom. He resented the transition from independent adult to child. This kind of stress can, and often does, cause a decline in AlzheimerÂs patients. When my father moves to the dementia ward, he will lose his last bit of freedom, which is so very important to him. I anticipate another decline. But heÂs in a decline right now, and a lot of the fight has gone out of him lately. The move may not impact him much. I hear yÂall about the whole "my grandmother had AlzheimerÂs" thing. We always think of our grandparents as elderly, but can remember our parents as the young, confident rulers of our universe they once were. A spouseÂs illness is a whole other level entirely. ThereÂs also an enormous difference between being a full-time caregiver, a part-time caregiver like I am, and a visitor (which is what most people luckily are). Although most of my friends have been extremely supportive and sympathetic, they cannot truly empathize. Most people left the room with their grandparent needed a fresh diaper and turn pale at the mere mention of a colostomy bag. Emotional baggage aside, itÂs very different being responsible for your loved one. WeÂre the ones who make medical and legal decisions on their behalf, get phone calls from the hospital, and manage their finances. ThatÂs why IÂm so deeply appreciative of the people on this forum. YÂall donÂt just say you understand, you really, truly get it.

Hi and welcome!! I think worrying about whether the aide will quit is one of THE top concerns among folks in your situation. I know for me, it was #1 or #2. It will happen at some point, to be sure. BUT, I found that the good ones have an amazing tolerance for the behavior of their patients, esp if they have been doing Alz for a while. In addition, most of these folks really need their jobs. Somethings that worked for us included making the aide as much a part of the family as you can, which means be as considerate of her as you would be if she was a family member. Get to know her family and try to get her off for her family affairs, etc. Overtly recognize the behaviors that are distressingto her...my Mom would use racial terms common long ago and that was offensive to one of her aides, for example. If you have a daycare or respite option, you might want to give the aide a break by having her take your Mom there for a few hours or a day. Also get familiar with the agencies in your town than have aides, because you may have to turn to one of those in a pinch if your aide does quit. But you can find replacements with some work. It Is VERY stressful to have to find a new aide, believe me. Of course be sure you are paying her the current "going rate" in your area and pay her for her vacation. It is all about making it a good place to work. Lots of these home aides actually bond more closely with the family than with the patient. Talk to her every day, without fail. Good luck! It is a hard thing. Derry

"I guess the days just "seemed like" 48 hours!" You are so right about that Vannie. I was the caregiver for both my Dad & Mom. My Dad was dx'd with Multiple Myeloma in 2004, but died from a massive heart attack in 2005. My Mom was dx'd with Alzheimer's in 2001 & she just passed away this past December 30th 2007. I haven't even been able to post about it here until now or on the CG forum yet. It is still so raw & numbing for me. She died from pneumonia/sepsis. Both of my parents died in my arms. So, the cancer & the Alzheimer's didn't take either one of them down the long, dark path it could've been. God was merciful not just once, but twice. I can't tell you how much I miss them both so much. I will never regret one moment of my caregiving for either one of them & would do it again in a heartbeat. But,as you probably already know Caregiving is in no way easy--the stress on you & your family, your health, the heart break, the worry you're doing things the "right way", the responsiblity, the losses can be unbearable--and yet, we keep on trying to do what's best for our loved ones. It is a double-edged sword sometimes. The Alzheimer's Association were wonderful. They've called me twice since my Mom passed, just to see how I was doing. Most of all the caregivers I've ever met are Angels in disguise. God Bless them all!