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Discussing Alzheimer's diagnosis with sister who won't admit a problem.

My sister (74) is in the hospital due to heart, kidney and diabetes problems resulting from refusing to take medications or taking too much insulin at other times. She has been showing signs of dementia for over a year but insists everyone else has a problem, not her. I'm her older brother (77) and I have a younger sister (62) we are the only family she has. She has shut both of us out of her life because she insists that she can take care of herself. Her neighbor called me and reported there was something wrong with her but I had Covid and couldn't leave my house. My younger sister called an ambulance and met them at her house. Although, she was very ill, it was probably a blessing because we were able to call her dementia to the attention of the hospital and get and emergency guardianship. While in the hospital (2 weeks) we had 2 psychiatrists evaluate her both determining her inability to make responsible decisions and the second diagnosing late onset Alzheimer's. We have made arrangements for her to enter a Memory care facility next week. Neither my sister or I have any idea how to discuss this with her because she becomes angry and rejects the thought that she might have a problem. We are at a loss at how to handle this.

  1. Hi @Jlnewell45, this article may be of some help, discussing how to handle agnosognosia, https://alzheimersdisease.net/living/managing-anosognosia-caregiver. This list of articles contains a few that discuss moving our loved ones and may contain some helpful tips on managing your expectations, as well as your sister's anxiety https://alzheimersdisease.net/search?s=Moving.

    She's lucky to have you and your other sister in her corner. Please know that we're also in yours. - Warm (((hugs))), Donna (team member)

    1. Thank you, that was helpful.

      1. I'm glad you found something helpful in them, @jlnewell45! Let us know if we can be of further help. -Warmly, Donna (team member)

    2. thank you for posting this question. We recently had a prompt on our FB where people shared what they do when their loved one doesn't want to go to the doctor's office, it may help: https://bit.ly/3rxw7uO. Hope this helps a bit. Warmly, Elizabeth (AlzheimersDisease.net team member)

      1. She is going to be mad and angry and yell at you. DO not take it personally. It is for her safety to be in a place where someone is watching over her. Been there, lived it with my older sister with Early onset.

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