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Maybe when you are his age and have done the things that he has, you will understand why he feels like that.."old age"
My only advice is keep his mind stimulated..what about a new hobby like skydiving
that will get his eyes and his mind open
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GJ - your dad is in IL, correct? I'd suggest that you have a scheduled chat with the activities director / co-ordinator and the on-sitevmanager to get their perspective on dad. All IL are different but most have exercise class, craft class, movie night, field & shopping trips and on a set schedule that residents get in their calendar. Is dad participating? Does he have a pal or buddy? Ask if he perhaps needs a higher level of care.

When he goes to see an md, are you there and getting details firsthand?

One issue with my mom was that she had 5 different MDs, all giving out Rx's & dealing with specific & increasing complaints. She wasnt actively listening to any of them either. She tore rotor cuff so saw Otho surgeon. He required because of age (almost 90) to be cleared by gerontology dept at health science center where he was on staff.. Not her internist or old family medicine doc but gerontology dept. Totally different approach starting with cognition tests, then a stopping or weaning off of her various Rx's, cardiology work up, etc. everything done by gerontology md or specialists within dept. all reporting centralized. Mom stayed seeing them after surgery about every 6 mos with cognition testing each visit. She was diagnosed with lewy body dementia. It was good to know as lewy has a somewhat different dementia decline in the first stages. There was no way her old docs would have been able to evaluate her, their approach was to prescribe something to cure which is what most medical school & residency training is all about. For elderly with dementia "cure" isn't going to happen, it more about long term management of a chronic and terminal disease.

If you can find a gerontology program, try to get dad an appointment for a full work up and be there taking notes.
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My dad is almost 93 (in August) and is healthier than I am with one exception.....he has lost weight in the last year. He now weighs in a whopping 114 (he's 5'1") He has never weighed this little and has always been very athletic . He eats like a truck driver, does everything his dr. tells him to do including drinking a can of Ensure everyday and having a pnut butter and jelly sandwich in the afternoon just to keep what little weight he has left and possibly put some on him. We JUST went to the dr. on Monday and she said the same thing about muscle mass. He has lost so much and that as we all know muscle weighs more than fat. He still gets around "pretty" good with walker but just can't stand for very long or walk very far. He still drives (drives better than he walks) and uses a motorized cart at stores. I got him some 2lb weights to start doing some arm curls and knee bends if he can to try to build up some type of muscle. And I agree with Igloo, I would definitely be there at all drs. appts. and get them on board and on the same page if not already. I go to ALL appts. (God help me) because I wouldn't get the straight story if I didn't go. He can't hear very well at all so he gets everything backwards as hard as he tries. Good Luck and God Bless....
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There are some great exercise routines that can be done from a chair on youtube. I do them with my husband. It helps you to stay fit and off your feet/knees.

youtube/watch?v=m7zCDiiTBTk
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When they don't want to do anything?
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