Hi my name is Sue and would just like to find out more for my mum who I'm starting to get worried about. Mainly memory issues, most expected for someone of 71 years young but for the past 6 months there's been minor confusion such as asking when we're away when we're not, and repeating phone calls within half an hour which concerns me the most. How do we tell the difference between normal older age memory problems or something more serious? Many thanks for any help. She's recognising that her brother has early warning signs but not herself. thanks again.
Early signs?
- Thread starter Sue&Darren
- Start date
Hi and welcome to Talking Point.
Well I would say that age related memory loss is a myth. Well not a myth exactly, but there always is a cause whether it is treatable or not. Doctors say things like "Oh you're just getting older" which I feel is a cop out.
What you describe is very similar to what I experienced with my own mother. I was told "Oh it's just age related memory problems" by her GP and I accepted that which is the one thing I cannot forgive myself for: it turned out she had had mini TIAs plus at least one stroke by the time she ended up having a major stroke a couple of years later. And I can't forgive myself because a contributory factor to the major stroke was the fact that she could no longer remember to take her medications. And I didn't realise it.
I think you are right to be concerned. It's one thing if she says "do you know, I can't remember if I took my pills this morning" or "I can't remember if you said you were coming Wednesday or Thursday" but a different thing if she can't remember having pills, or having a conversation in the first place. The first examples are part and parcel of just living, if I can put it like that, the second ones are indicators of something else entirely.
Well I would say that age related memory loss is a myth. Well not a myth exactly, but there always is a cause whether it is treatable or not. Doctors say things like "Oh you're just getting older" which I feel is a cop out.
What you describe is very similar to what I experienced with my own mother. I was told "Oh it's just age related memory problems" by her GP and I accepted that which is the one thing I cannot forgive myself for: it turned out she had had mini TIAs plus at least one stroke by the time she ended up having a major stroke a couple of years later. And I can't forgive myself because a contributory factor to the major stroke was the fact that she could no longer remember to take her medications. And I didn't realise it.
I think you are right to be concerned. It's one thing if she says "do you know, I can't remember if I took my pills this morning" or "I can't remember if you said you were coming Wednesday or Thursday" but a different thing if she can't remember having pills, or having a conversation in the first place. The first examples are part and parcel of just living, if I can put it like that, the second ones are indicators of something else entirely.
Early signs
Thanks Jennifer for your reply, it explains exactly why I'm concerned. As you say we all forget things, its lifestyle and human nature, but to repeat an entire conversation that she's had with my husband, to me literally half an hour later is worrying. 'My next question I guess is what do I do now? GP visit? I've heard of the Mental Capacity test? thanks again.
Thanks Jennifer for your reply, it explains exactly why I'm concerned. As you say we all forget things, its lifestyle and human nature, but to repeat an entire conversation that she's had with my husband, to me literally half an hour later is worrying. 'My next question I guess is what do I do now? GP visit? I've heard of the Mental Capacity test? thanks again.
From my memory, when I was training, we were told that occasional forgetfulness is fine - like if you can't remember the right word for something, or someone's name when you know them quite well, or (like my mum does!) leave your debit card in the machine in the supermarket - as long as you remember it later. It's when something you knew has been completely wiped from your memory, and this starts happening regularly, that there's cause for concern.
Yes. It's not "what did I do with my keys" but more "what are these keys for".
Would she be willing to go to her GP with you do you think? Although I didn't find my mother's GP very helpful, although to be fair, I didn't realise we were at the start of a diffiuclt journey.
If she wouldn't, you could try writing to the GP. They won't let you know the results but it does put her on their radar.
Would she be willing to go to her GP with you do you think? Although I didn't find my mother's GP very helpful, although to be fair, I didn't realise we were at the start of a diffiuclt journey.
If she wouldn't, you could try writing to the GP. They won't let you know the results but it does put her on their radar.
We had a discussion (on the thread below) where this was discussed.
As you age all sorts of body parts don't work as well as they did when you were young; heart, lungs, liver... very little works as well as it did when you were "in your prime" so why should the brain be different?
As Jen says you do need to get it checked as there could be underlying reasons why this is happening which may be treatable so they need to be eliminated.
K
https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?102339-Current-thinking-on-Alzheimers
As you age all sorts of body parts don't work as well as they did when you were young; heart, lungs, liver... very little works as well as it did when you were "in your prime" so why should the brain be different?
As Jen says you do need to get it checked as there could be underlying reasons why this is happening which may be treatable so they need to be eliminated.
K
https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?102339-Current-thinking-on-Alzheimers
Early signs
This is all very helpful thankyou all. That's a good idea about writing to her GP, now I feel more 'armed' with your advice I'll try and have a gentle conversation with her and see if she'll go to her GP with me.
This is all very helpful thankyou all. That's a good idea about writing to her GP, now I feel more 'armed' with your advice I'll try and have a gentle conversation with her and see if she'll go to her GP with me.
