Hello.
I haven't been on since Christmas when I contacted you as I was in a bit of a state about my mother. Her condition had been deteriorating and we were having problems getting the specialist that she had been refered to to prescribe Aricept for her. Fortunately mum's GP is fantastic and very on the ball, and got another referal for her and, second time around, Aricept was finally prescribed. That was over three months ago, and although there has been little, if any, improvement at least there has been no significant decline.......However, my step-father has reported that he is finding it increasingly difficult to deal with my mother's refusal to wash and change her clothes. Last time I spoke to him he said that she had not washed or changed her clothes for a week, and just refuses point blank when he suggests that she does. I have read your fact sheet on this but just wondered if anyone had experience of this at such an extreme level. He can't even try the trick of putting fresh clothes out when she goes to bed as she sleeps in her clothes (and shoes!) on top of the bed, on the cat blanket that is at the bottom of the bed. He is finding this behaviour increasingly bizarre and difficult to understand.
The other query is this: when mum went back for a repeat prescription of the Aricept after the initial three months, the specialist re-did the memory tests and she scored exactly the same as she had done before. The specialist then told Tony (my s-dad) that he thought that mum may be suffering from 'cognitive decline', as well as possibly AD, as she was able to write a sentence that made perfect sense with no problem at all. He said that if she was suffering with AD she would not have been able to do this. Cognitive decline seems to be a very vague, generic term. And how can she have AD as well? Surely AD involves cognitive decline? I am confused! The problem is that when Tony goes to see the specialist he doesn't ask questions. I will see if I can arrange to go with them next time but in the meantime can anyone shed any light?
Many thanks
Jo
I haven't been on since Christmas when I contacted you as I was in a bit of a state about my mother. Her condition had been deteriorating and we were having problems getting the specialist that she had been refered to to prescribe Aricept for her. Fortunately mum's GP is fantastic and very on the ball, and got another referal for her and, second time around, Aricept was finally prescribed. That was over three months ago, and although there has been little, if any, improvement at least there has been no significant decline.......However, my step-father has reported that he is finding it increasingly difficult to deal with my mother's refusal to wash and change her clothes. Last time I spoke to him he said that she had not washed or changed her clothes for a week, and just refuses point blank when he suggests that she does. I have read your fact sheet on this but just wondered if anyone had experience of this at such an extreme level. He can't even try the trick of putting fresh clothes out when she goes to bed as she sleeps in her clothes (and shoes!) on top of the bed, on the cat blanket that is at the bottom of the bed. He is finding this behaviour increasingly bizarre and difficult to understand.
The other query is this: when mum went back for a repeat prescription of the Aricept after the initial three months, the specialist re-did the memory tests and she scored exactly the same as she had done before. The specialist then told Tony (my s-dad) that he thought that mum may be suffering from 'cognitive decline', as well as possibly AD, as she was able to write a sentence that made perfect sense with no problem at all. He said that if she was suffering with AD she would not have been able to do this. Cognitive decline seems to be a very vague, generic term. And how can she have AD as well? Surely AD involves cognitive decline? I am confused! The problem is that when Tony goes to see the specialist he doesn't ask questions. I will see if I can arrange to go with them next time but in the meantime can anyone shed any light?
Many thanks
Jo