Long Term Memory

[suzywoozie]

Hello all,My Dad has been diagnosed with mixed dementia, Alzheimers and Vascular. He lives with us now.

My question is, is it common for dementia sufferers to lose their long term memory as well as short term? This has happened with my Dad.

My mum died 18 months ago, and although he can remember the morning she died he cannot remember her name, does not know that she was his wife (she was the person who slept in the same room as him, he says). He does not recognise her in photographs, neither recent ones nor ones from way back. He says he has no brothers or sisters (he has/had 8), he does not remember getting married. When he sees photos of him and me when I was a child, he recognises himself but does not know who I am. He does not know I am his daughter, he thinks that my husband and me are people who took him in!

Now and again he will mention things from way back, but generally his long term memory, as well as short term, seems to have mostly gone.

Thank you
Sue

 

[Onlyme]

The simple answer is yes, long and short memory can be affected. Like you I didn't realise this and thought just short term memory went and was shocked when I realised the long was going as well.

Your poor Dad must be so confused.

 

[Nebiroth]

Yes, it's quite normal. Short term memory is nearly always the first to fail, because the brain loses the capacity to create new memories. In the early stages old memories often remain, although they may be confused with current events. People with dementia may "retreat into the past"

However, as the dementia progresses, even the long-term memories are lost - it is not clear as to whether they are destroyed or remain but become inaccessible.

In the final stages, even the memory of things like social inhibitions may be lost, this is often the cause of challenging behaviors.

 

[suzywoozie]

Thank you both, that is reassuring to know. I was worried that Dad might have a separate problem!

 

[Tender Face]

Hello Sue .... may be of no help but mum (with a diagnosis of Alz+LBD) seemed to have ‘pockets’ of memory over medium/long term.

It became obvious when I created a memory book for her and went through it with her .. quite surprising what ‘chunks’ of her life she could remember – yet something significant like her own wedding had no relevance .... and even within those ‘chunks’ she would recognise some people and have no apparent recognition of others ....including herself in some images

It’s so bewildering as a carer .... what must it be like for them? I cling to thinking she erased a lot of ‘bad memories’ – but when dad was the ‘love of her life’ – how could she forget him?

No answers, just empathy,

Love, Kaz, x

 

[AlsoConfused]

I'm aware there's no stability at all in my Mum's memories now. Within seconds, she can switch from an accurate memory (eg her parents are dead)to an inaccurate one(so she thinks for example that her parents have just visited).

 

[dancer84]

Dear Suzywoozie
My husband has had no long term memory as well as short term memory for a long time, almost since he was diagnosed three years ago. Photos from his past have no meaning for him and he never talks about anything from his childhood or any family members. He did seem to know his 2 sisters when they visited in the summer having not seen them for 7 months (they live in the Midlands) or at least he knew that he knew them but not why.
It means that the only things he talks about are things around him, although what he says most of the time is rubbish.
Like you I was surprised by this at first, but ir's good to know that John is not the only one.
Love
Anne

 

[Izzy]

My mum has vascular dementia. Her memory comes and goes. Sometimes she surprises me with what she can remember - both short and long term. Sometimes she has no short term memory and her long term memory is confused and mixed up.

My husband has Alzheimer's. His short term memory is almost non existent but thankfully he still remembers me and family. His long term memory isn't very good either now. It used to be very good. It's odd as he presents as 'normal' if people don't know him.

Dementia is a very strange thing!! xx