Hi,
My aunt has Wernike's -Korsokoff Syndrome. We had found her about 8 years ago 4 hours away in a hospital. We were able to get her in a nursing home there for about 6 months until we could find a place here.
My sister tried to take care of her but it was too much for her. Now she is living is an over 55 apartment and takes as best care of herself as she can.
She is able to cook a little and clothe herself. She is afraid to take showers so she doesn't do that. She does sponge baths.
She totally lost her short term memory. She doesn't know who I am. When she was in the hospital she was on all those IV's. When she went to the nursing home they would give her pills and she would just hide them in her sock drawer. She was 57 at the time.
It's a very hard situation to come to terms with. She is now a totally different person than she was then. She was outgoing. friendly, etc.
My sister goes by twice a week to check on her and pick up, but has recently found that she is drinking again.
My sister would give her $25 to go to the foodtore in case she needs something but instead finds the package store and is able to find her way back.
There is not much we can do. Her next stop will be a nursing home. My sister can't keep taking care of her. My aunt gets a retirement check from where she worked and my sister has power of attorney so she has the money to stay in the apartment. I'm not sure how long but she will end up at the nursing home.
We had no idea she was an alcoholic. She never married or had children. She would only have a couple glasses of wine at gatherings. But I guess when she was home was when she drank.
She was better physically for a long time but not mentally. Now that she is drinking again it's just a matter of time in my opinion.
It's very hard to see your loved one like this. To me alcoholism leaves no survivors.
Please hang in there.