Awareness

[theunknown]

When I saw my mum a few weeks ago she said, "I don't know who you are". This didn't upset me because it's par for the course. Today her face lit up when I arrived. She kept telling me how "beautiful" I am, introduced me to people as her daughter, and said 'I love you so much'.

This meant that it was devastating to leave her in the care home home that she's been in for two years. Has anybody else had experience of the person with dementia having no idea who you are to somehow realising the relationship?

 

[canary]

Yes. My mum would sometimes know my name and that I was her daughter and then at other times she didnt (although she almost always knew that she knew me and that I was special to her). People with dementia often have fluctuating abilities and have "good" days and "bad" days. Treasure the "good" days

 

[lemonjuice]

Certainly in the initial phases, fluctuating in and out of recognition is I believe fairly normal. My mother used to say 'You', which later I realised 'worked round' the problem of trying to identify who I was.

 

[DeMartin]

I fluctuate between being mum's daughter or her sister ( who lived in Australia) I answer to both.