I've been caring for my grandmother since 2013 due to mobility issues. I suspected late last year that she may have dementia due to he having trouble retaining certain things but I was hoping it was more general forgetfulness that comes with old age (she's 95), Around Christmas she had to be hospitalised due to infection and when she came out she had even more trouble walking and I was advised that she remain bed bound and a dementia test was arranged; it wasn't surprising when I was informed she had vascular dementia.
To be honest the past few months has not been so bad, She was happy enough to stay in bed and she still recognised people and even retained new information she felt was important. I felt we'd probably have years before we'd have to deal with more serious symptoms but yesterday she seemed to have trouble breathing so she was taken to hospital were she was diagnosed with Aspiration Pneumonia. I was in A&E with her until the early hours of the morning were she was experiencing delirium and thought I was someone else but had to go home to get a few hours sleep as I felt dead on my feet. Part of me suspected when I went that this may have exasperated her dementia and worried that when I went back in the morning she may not recognise me.
Turns out I was correct. When I got there she was sleeping but could only give one word answers an, She perked up a bit when nurses came to change her pad and adminster antibiotics etc. They told me she'd been agitated when they tried to change her pad in the night but was friendly now. She didn't recognise me but talked to me as if she was happy with the company. She did take my hand and put it to her cheek like she would do whenever she was ill so maybe there is part of her that recognises me but otherwise it feels in the space of a few hours someone flipped a switch and made her someone different.
I spoke to various medical staff that were in and out of her room who explained to me all about Aspiration Pneumonia, the potential causes and how they were treating it but none of them would say whether her cognitive decline is permenant or whether it can to some degree go back to how it was before. I've tried googling this but get contradictory information. I know people here will likely have dealt with this and information will be appreciated.
To be honest the past few months has not been so bad, She was happy enough to stay in bed and she still recognised people and even retained new information she felt was important. I felt we'd probably have years before we'd have to deal with more serious symptoms but yesterday she seemed to have trouble breathing so she was taken to hospital were she was diagnosed with Aspiration Pneumonia. I was in A&E with her until the early hours of the morning were she was experiencing delirium and thought I was someone else but had to go home to get a few hours sleep as I felt dead on my feet. Part of me suspected when I went that this may have exasperated her dementia and worried that when I went back in the morning she may not recognise me.
Turns out I was correct. When I got there she was sleeping but could only give one word answers an, She perked up a bit when nurses came to change her pad and adminster antibiotics etc. They told me she'd been agitated when they tried to change her pad in the night but was friendly now. She didn't recognise me but talked to me as if she was happy with the company. She did take my hand and put it to her cheek like she would do whenever she was ill so maybe there is part of her that recognises me but otherwise it feels in the space of a few hours someone flipped a switch and made her someone different.
I spoke to various medical staff that were in and out of her room who explained to me all about Aspiration Pneumonia, the potential causes and how they were treating it but none of them would say whether her cognitive decline is permenant or whether it can to some degree go back to how it was before. I've tried googling this but get contradictory information. I know people here will likely have dealt with this and information will be appreciated.
