Hi. Just reading your post, I can totally relate to it. My dear friend who I have been trying to look out for, for past couple of years has dementia which is getting progressively more severe. I have experienced all the same typical behaviours of someone with dementia...but have become extremely frustrated that she constantly gives her money away to anyone......it seems to me that she is aware that when she hands money out....people like her! she gives her money freely to anyone who comes to the house - be it a utility person, or a neighbour. Last year, I checked her bank statements and saw that her balance per month was less than £1000 and she has no savings. In other words, she is not a wealthy lady. she has just the state pension to live on. So, for the past 18 months, I have taken her shopping twice a week, and taken care of all her normal day to day affairs . During the 18 months that I had been intervening, her her bank balance had improved vastly to a healthy £4000 per month. (because I was with her and she wasn't giving her money away or spending it ridiculously and also, I was there to ensure the receivers of her generosity didn't take it either!). However. 4 months ago, she had a couple of dog walking friends call around to see her for an hour. Their visit happened to co-incide with a visit from the Adult Mental Health team because I had become extremely concerned about her personal hygiene and general welfare and I was trying to organise help at home for her (as I live about 45 minutes away). When I explained to these two senior women in a very polite way, that it would be better if they could call back after the social team had visited, they seemed to take real umbrage at this. I think they suggested to my friend that I was controlling her life and who was I? (and I actually think they suggested to my dementia friend that I was trying to have her put into a care home, which wasn't correct - this was based on the fact that, when they did enter the house, they found kitchen sink was full of dirty crockery and they wanted to wash up. However, I gestured that they shouldn't do this, because I wanted the ADULT mental health team to see how she WASN'T managing.... for me it was really important that I got my friend the home help I felt she now needed. However, I think they saw this as an indication that I was trying to have her put away!). The Adult Mental Health team arrived and after a quick assessment of my friend, quickly concluded that she needed social care assistance in her home. Anyway, The following day, I arrived at my friends to find the two dog walkers back. When my friend opened her door, I greeted her with the same cheerful smile, she launched into an attack, accusing me of stealing all her money. |she yelled at me, actually very aggressively, telling me she hated me and that I had done nothing for her but steal her money. I am sure you can imagine how deeply hurt I was as I had only ever done anything to help her and to actually stop her giving her money away. very very. upsetting and hard to fathom when you havent dealt with anyone suffering with dementia>...