Alzheimer’s dementia Smoker?
The person with Alzheimers or Dementia who smokes creates a challenging predicament for their caregiver. Sometimes, in late-stage Alzheimer’s the patient forgets the urge to smoke. But the person with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s may be addicted from many years of heavy smoking and simply unable to quit.
Certainly, the first thing to do is to encourage them to stop smoking. If they are early in the disease process of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, they may be able to attend a stop-smoking program. A good program may be found through a local hospital or contact with their physician. Their personal doctor might also be contacted about use of the “stop-smoking patch,” which is now available without a prescription. He can verify that there would be no reaction to already prescribed medications.
There is a prescription medication called “Chantix” that boasts good results in helping smokers to give up the habit. It does require a prescription and a visit with your physician.
Smoking is dangerous under any circumstance to Physical Health. And the careless use of smoking materials presents a great risk of a destructive fire. Previously, I have warned about people with mid-stage Alzheimer’s forgetting to turn the stove off after baking. I can think of similar hazards caused by someone who smokes carelessly. Any decline in cognitive thinking could certainly produce carelessness with matches or lighter or other smoking materials.
I’ve heard from a few friends who have chosen to allow their loved one to continue with the long term addiction rather than create an incident each time they need a cigarette. If continued smoking is allowed, a designated, supervised “smoke time” might be a good idea. It could be limited to certain time periods, and areas, and always accompanied by the caregiver or another person.
Since smoking would only be done at appointed times, the caregiver could store the smoking paraphernalia safely away when not in use. All smoking sessions should be chaperoned since a cigarette tossed carelessly could easily start a fire.
A new product to the market, receiving good reviews, is the Electronic Cigarette.
Previously I included several reviews from smokers who had quit by using the new Electronic Cigarette to replace an old habit. But I’ve had second thoughts about recommending them since they aren’t approved by the FDA or any medical board that I’m aware of.
My son used the Electronic cigarettes to stop smoking and has been smoke free for more than a year now. So it may be best to ask someone you know.
I’ve heard from some who became addicted to the Electronic cigarette as much as the real thing and some who have had good results and are tobacco free.
If you speak with your family doctor about your desire to stop smoking, he might offer the best advice and remedy.
If you’ve tried and quit! We’d sure like to hear from you!
How did you do it?
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Natrabio Smoking Withdrawal Tablets, 60 Count
Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop SmokingQuit Tea Natural Stop Smoking AidThe Easy Way for Women to Stop Smoking
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liz says
07/23 at 8:47 amI am currently weaning my mid-stage Alzheimer’s mom off of cigs one smoke at a time, each cut lasting 2 or three days for her body to get used to it. She was agreeable to being with, because she understood that she had become a danger to herself and to me [i live with her]. Now down to just 4 cigs a day, she suddenly realizes that, after more than 60 years, she will not be going back to smoking full time [about 30 a day it had become before I told her we had to quit her.] It’s tough being yelled at, scolded, gnash-teethed at, name called and even threatened [she said she was going to walk out and then she said she was going to call her lawyers haha] but I am staying strong and she forgets for hours in between each bout of anger. I too hope she just simply forgets about smoking.
One thing I can say about the commercial for E-cigs above is that I did try that with mom and she lost the first one [presumably threw it away thinking it was a real cigarette] and the second one she repeatedly tried to light with a lighter. I don’t think E-cigs are an option with people so confused they don’t understand it or know what to do with it.
~ Sandy says
07/23 at 9:35 amNow you are one brave daughter! Thank goodness, my mom never smoked so I didn’t have that worry.
You may certainly be right about the e-cigs. I’m not surprised about her throwing it away or losing it. I’m sure “mom” would never remember that this new doo-dad was suppose to be her new cigarette. If someone was in an earlier stage, where they knew the purpose of the e-cig and were totally weened from cigarettes while they were still aware–it might work.
Many years ago while I was hospitalized, they slapped a “nicotine patch” on me, and that was it. 6 weeks later, I never wanted another cigarette. Of course, I had the fear that a heart attack may be imminent if I returned to tobacco. So, I’m not sure it would have the same affect on someone with dementia. The act of smoking might remain a habit for a long time without memory to remind one that they had quit.
Very interesting. I’m glad you commented on this thread. Perhaps others will share their experience with a family member who has dementia and still smokes.
Thank you,
~Sandy
Ellen Woodward Potts says
09/25 at 6:21 pmWow. What a difficult situation and all of these are VERY good ideas! If I was a caregiver trying the “designated smoke time,” I would do my best to go longer between smoke breaks as time goes on. As Sandy says, there will come a day when the person forgets to smoke. The forgetting may be intermittent to begin with, but eventually, the person probably will forget all together.