Does anyone know?

[MJW]

I know that Alzheimers is different for everyone, but does anyone have experience of this?

My mother is 79 and has had declining memory for at least 10 years that I have noticed (we live a long way away and don't see her often, so it may have been declining before then but not obviously). Her short-term memory is now under a minute. She has recently gone into a care home, and does not recognise me.

On the other hand, mum looks nearer 69 than 80 and is still upright in bearing, washes, dresses and feeds herself, sleeps through the night, is not incontinent, speaks normally and can converse with others. It's like she is exactly the same person, but with no memory, which is quite bizarre. A stranger seeing her would not pick up on anything unusual at all.

I am wondering what will happen. Surely mum cannot carry on like this for her normal life span? She is physically robust and - dementia apart - could probably reach 100 quite easily. All the information on Alzheimers suggests a gradual decline of all the faculties at each "stage" - but mum seems to have reached the final stages in terms of memory but barely the early stages in everything else. Is there likely now to be a sudden and severe decline, or just more of the same for years to come?

[Bookworm]

MJN - that is just so sad - and quite frightening for you to watch - I think others will have extra views to add - but I think one process that happens is forgetting to eat/drink and then forgetting how to - so you can see how the memory begins to affect physical health - then for example - if she gets a bad chest infection - will she remember to cough & indeed how to....

Apart from that many have reported here, and there is sound research to back this, that marked deterioration occurs when there is an underlying infection which may not be picked up early with someone who has such a poor memory e.g. would she remember to say that she has been to pass urine 5 times in the last hour.....(i.e. ? UTI).

[dillydaydream]

My mother sounds very similar to yours, other than she is 89! No problems at all with talking, eating, washing or toileting although she often does wake up in the middle of the night and get dressed. Her short term memory has been bad for over thirty years when she first had epilepsy which remained undiagnosed for a couple of years - the doctors thought she was too old to have epilepsy for the first time at 58 but just couldn't explain her numerous blackhouts - after this, she just couldn't retain anything for more than a few weeks; now it is, like your mother, a minute maximum. She has lived with us for the last eight years, since my Dad died, but every day she rediscovers her surroundings - and never ever remembers where she is or where any particular room might be, constantly searching for the bathroom or bedroom. How does your mother manage in the CH? Does she know where she is? Mum has been in respite once and just loved it - told me it was full of young girls who had been sent there by their parents to enjoy themselves but they were all a bit shy - not that this bothered her as she had carried on talking anyway! She goes to day care three times a week, and each time when she returns she thinks she's been gone four or five days! Physically she's fine so I wonder, like you, when or how will things start to get worse but there's absolutely no way of knowing, is there? It does seem to be some minor infection or stay in hospital that often causes a rapid downturn.

[sussexsue]

My mum can join this club. She is 85 and has had AD for about 7+ years now.

Memory shot, but if you spoke to her you wouldnt guess she had AD (well not straight away). She dresses immaculately, always puts make-up on, etc and as you said "washes, dresses and feeds herself, sleeps through the night, is not incontinent, speaks normally and can converse with others. ".

BUT.... washing now no longer involves soap. Baths would not happen unless I told her to. Apart from pants, same clothes would be worn every day. Before she came to live with us we realised she was living on toast and biscuits. Housework no longer happened, etc.

Sadly in the last few months we have had a sudden decline. Balance is going so she dosnt walk so much (have a wheelchair for outings now). She had scans and saw a neurologist but it was decided it was just part of AD.

She had a UTI recently which caused a fall - the change in her was catastrophic and I really though "this is it, this is our future" but she is now back to pretty close to what she was, just cant remember how to do some things - like get out of the bath. Also not eating as much and prefering soft food. Not demanding her glass of wine every evening .

When I read other peoples' experiences and talk to other carers I am always surprised at how steady mum's decline has been. No real mood changes, quite quiet and calm.

I am well aware how lucky I am, and suspect that coming to live with us has slowed things, especially as we are able to keep her in good health.

[Sam Iam]

MJW,dillydaydream and Sue,
I too could join your club, mum (82) is as "fit as a butcher's dog" her words not mine, she to would wear the same cloths except underwear for days on end, memory less than a minute, speaks to others for 15 mins before any repeat stories ( used to be 30 mons until recently).Sleep partern is good ( finger's crossed), eating is good but does not want to put weight on, shower's independantly and does'nt really cook anymore, but calm and easy going unless out of routine.
Mum has also had to give up her Friday night bingo as her friend finds it hard going ( and mum wont let me go with her) so we had to lie and say they would stop going until spring, due to bad weather.
So sad so so sad.xxx

[julieann15]

This is my mother-in-law to a tee!!

Love Julie xx

[nocturne]

It's not just Alzheimers. My Mum, who has vascular dementia, was just the same until she had a bad fall 2 years ago - memory span of a few seconds only but could hold a conversation. Indeed on our holiday the yaar before people commented on how good she was for her age (then 84), one even complimenting her on still being mentally alert! After the fall she deteriorated rapidly but can still more or less dress, wash and feed herself and is physically very well. She does, however, now have trouble finding the right words for objects adn her long term memory has mostly gone too.
Jan

[MJW]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I wonder if this is some kind of "sub set" of Alzheimers? It seems to only affect women!-almost like a state of being on automatic pilot.