Dementia/Possibly Alzheimer's Advice?

My grandmother and grandfather both live together and are both 78 years old.

My grandmother has heart problems and has been in and out of open heart surgery several times. She is doing very well now, but she is still 78 and needs a break from stress and physical labor.

My grandfather has COPD and has been having memory problems for the past year. He remembers the past with no problem, but he cannot remember upcoming dates or events, recent conversations, etc. now. His hearing is bad, too, but he is so stubborn and refuses to use a hearing aid. He also has been refusing to take his oxygen and nebulizer. He is a very stubborn man and does not respond kindly to things...he's very grumpy and always has been. Recently he has been meaner than usual, he is getting in a lot fights with my grandmom, and his legs have been failing him. He claims that it is because he is getting up too fast. Honestly, his day consists of getting up, walking to the couch, sleeping for an hour, walking to the dining room, sitting for 2 hours, walking to the couch, sleeping until dinner time, eating, and then sleeping until bedtime. He does very little physical activity and refuses to exercise or do ANYTHING.

I am just so worried about my grandmother, because she doesn't need to be so stressed and worried. What can we do, as family, to help my grandfather? He is on depression medicine, Aricep (5mg)t, and various COPD meds. It is getting to the point now where he is falling whenever he tries to walk down a hallway. He holds onto anything he can grab while walking. I just am not buying the excuse that he is "getting up too fast." I think this is all related to his lack of oxygen from having COPD issues.


Advice? :(

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

hum, first if hes not willing to have help come in than your just wasting your time.

sad but at this time does not look likes theres much you can do, other than go over there and see how much you or family can help them out.

maybe he needs a walker to help him walk there again if he chooses not to use it than not much ya can do, i myself has a mother who was falling as lot and now bed ridden, could not get her to use walker either .

sad for grandmother but as long as she lives with him than shes the one who has to deal with him. hope ya have family to go over and check on them and help her out.