Dementia symptoms

[Jac86]

Some of my mum’s dementia symptoms are:
- she can’t tell the time, gets ready for things hours early even if it’s the middle of the night
- can’t write
- forgets names, places, dates, etc.
- struggles with clothes e.g. wears 3 tops, struggles to put a jacket on
- struggles with tasks e.g. forgets tea bag when making tea, forgets to put bed sheet on bed

She hasn’t been formally diagnosed yet and I know everyone is different but I was wondering if anyone had a family member with similar symptoms and if so:

- what type of dementia is it?
- what stage is the dementia?
- did tablets help if used? (I’m hoping that tablets would help her being anxious about the time)
- what are the likely next stages?

Any information or advice would be appreciated.

 

[canary]

Hello @Jac86 and welcome to Talking Point.

These symptoms are absolutely typical in all types of dementia. It sounds like she is probably around mid stages.

I would try and get a proper diagnosis and talk to the doctor about medication. If it is Alzheimers there is medication which can help with the symptoms (it doesnt work for any other type of dementia) and there is also medication for anxiety.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

This is a good overview but take a deep breath before you look because it's not easy reading:

Clinical Stages of Alzheimer’s

New York University’s Dr. Barry Reisberg outlines the seven major clinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Reisberg is the Clinical Director of New York University’s Aging and Dementia Research Center.

www.alzinfo.org

 

[Jac86]

Thank you for the replies. That link is good, I did shed a few tears reading it but good to know what the future might hold.

It’s difficult to get my mum diagnosed as she thinks there’s nothing wrong. We finally managed to get her to the doctor who then referred her to a consultant but she refused to speak to him so we haven’t managed a formal diagnosis or tablets.

 

[Sarasa]

My mother refused to engage with the memory clinic @Jac86, as she too didn't think anything was wrong. In fact she told people I had dementia and that was why I thought she had it. In the end after a meltdown in the doctor's surgery they arranged for a psychiatrist to visit her at home. He diagnosed probably vascular dementia. By then I'd already decided that mum needed to move into care, which she did a few weeks later, but the diagnosis did help me see that that was the right decision. Mum never had any tablets for the dementia, and those don't always do a lot anyway, but did have some medication for her anxiety.
Do you have Lasting Power of Attorney in place as now is a good time to get that sorted if you haven't. Also maybe start thinking about getting her some help in so she gets used to having carers. However that was another something I never managed for my mother either.

 

[Jac86]

We recently got power of attorney so that’s sorted. We were supposed to have a consultant come to the house but my mum cancelled it and then he phoned and my mum hung up on him! So it’s hard to get a diagnosis when she won’t cooperate. It’s really the tablets for the anxiety I’m hoping to get her as she has such trouble with telling the time and is ready hours before she needs to be and up during the night which is also affecting my dad as he’s not getting sleep.
My mum worked in a care home for years and always said she never wanted to be in one so I would hate for her to end up in one but it might come to that down the line.