Hi everyone!
I just wanted to get some advice about my father and whether the symptoms he is exhibiting could be dementia/alzheimers.
Some background: my grandad (his dad) developed it in his 60s, got very bad in his 70s and has since passed away. We lost my mum 2 yrs ago and at first i thought dads symptoms were from depression/grief, however they have worsened over the last year. Dad is 59 and he lives with me most of the time.
Firstly, he has increasing trouble making decisions and sticking to those decisions. He cannot decide anything, from what he wants for dinner to what car he wants to buy. He is also impulsive, telling me he is going to look at cars then coming home with a new one - only to decide he doesnt like it and trades it in a month or 2. His decisions are becoming poor, being sucked into scams etc which he never used to. He is now sending money to people (women i think) overseas. He is understanding his finances and tax less and less and outs off paperwork.
He seems to not be comprehending information correctly when we watch movies. He will ask me constant questions about the movie which can be answered by watching it. He will also ask something about what just happened in the movie, but he has interpreted what has happened very wrong (although it is a simple concept that everyone else in the room gets). For example, in a movie he will not understand what relationship 2 characters may have between each other.
He is beginning to make inappropriate comments to people when out in public, particularly to women. This is very out of character for him. At first I thought he was just flirting, but now it seems he is unable to determine what is appropriate to say to someone in public to a stranger. He also does not recognize what he does wrong when i explain it to him, and becomes defensive. He says racist and sexist things, which he has never done before.
He is getting hopeless with directions and gets lost easily, particularly when driving. He cannot follow simple direction either (for example, i say turn left and he turns right, or i say 'turn left at the traffic lights', and he runs a red light. I also can tell him something like 'leave the garage door open' and he will look at me and say 'ok' and immediately go close it.
He had a fall recently in which he broke his arm but he cannot remember how it happened or what he was doing. He didn't have a concussion, but he may not remember due to the fall I'm not sure.
I often explain something to him 5 times, such as what we are doing for christmas, and confirm with him that he has understood. Then when the day comes (less than a week later, with reminders throughout the week) he will be confused and acts like he had no idea of our plans.
He is spending more and more time on his mobile phone and less time in the real world and does not recognise that using his phone in certain situations is rude and inappropriate (for example in the middle of a conversation with someone). He cannot concentrate on the phone and what is happening at the same time. He will literally spend all day on the phone playing games like bejewelled. He is becoming withdrawn, and at Christmas spent most of his time on the phone or in his room rather than with the family. He seems to be losing social skills.
He often sleeps in and some days wont have shower or get dressed properly until as late as 3pm. He finds it hard to work the dryer settings. He does not cook anymore, and seems afraid to. He is constantly misplacing or losing things or forgetting to take something when he goes somewhere. He is sleeping a lot more.
What do you guys think?
I just wanted to get some advice about my father and whether the symptoms he is exhibiting could be dementia/alzheimers.
Some background: my grandad (his dad) developed it in his 60s, got very bad in his 70s and has since passed away. We lost my mum 2 yrs ago and at first i thought dads symptoms were from depression/grief, however they have worsened over the last year. Dad is 59 and he lives with me most of the time.
Firstly, he has increasing trouble making decisions and sticking to those decisions. He cannot decide anything, from what he wants for dinner to what car he wants to buy. He is also impulsive, telling me he is going to look at cars then coming home with a new one - only to decide he doesnt like it and trades it in a month or 2. His decisions are becoming poor, being sucked into scams etc which he never used to. He is now sending money to people (women i think) overseas. He is understanding his finances and tax less and less and outs off paperwork.
He seems to not be comprehending information correctly when we watch movies. He will ask me constant questions about the movie which can be answered by watching it. He will also ask something about what just happened in the movie, but he has interpreted what has happened very wrong (although it is a simple concept that everyone else in the room gets). For example, in a movie he will not understand what relationship 2 characters may have between each other.
He is beginning to make inappropriate comments to people when out in public, particularly to women. This is very out of character for him. At first I thought he was just flirting, but now it seems he is unable to determine what is appropriate to say to someone in public to a stranger. He also does not recognize what he does wrong when i explain it to him, and becomes defensive. He says racist and sexist things, which he has never done before.
He is getting hopeless with directions and gets lost easily, particularly when driving. He cannot follow simple direction either (for example, i say turn left and he turns right, or i say 'turn left at the traffic lights', and he runs a red light. I also can tell him something like 'leave the garage door open' and he will look at me and say 'ok' and immediately go close it.
He had a fall recently in which he broke his arm but he cannot remember how it happened or what he was doing. He didn't have a concussion, but he may not remember due to the fall I'm not sure.
I often explain something to him 5 times, such as what we are doing for christmas, and confirm with him that he has understood. Then when the day comes (less than a week later, with reminders throughout the week) he will be confused and acts like he had no idea of our plans.
He is spending more and more time on his mobile phone and less time in the real world and does not recognise that using his phone in certain situations is rude and inappropriate (for example in the middle of a conversation with someone). He cannot concentrate on the phone and what is happening at the same time. He will literally spend all day on the phone playing games like bejewelled. He is becoming withdrawn, and at Christmas spent most of his time on the phone or in his room rather than with the family. He seems to be losing social skills.
He often sleeps in and some days wont have shower or get dressed properly until as late as 3pm. He finds it hard to work the dryer settings. He does not cook anymore, and seems afraid to. He is constantly misplacing or losing things or forgetting to take something when he goes somewhere. He is sleeping a lot more.
What do you guys think?
