My husband too has just had a diagnosis of cerebral atrophy from his brain scan. He then attended the memory clinic and underwent some cognitive ability tests which he scored quite well on. He was advised that there were concerns about his driving but was not told he had to give up driving. He is SO angry with me because I had made the appointments. He is 80 soon and the personality changes, the mood swings, the memory lapses, the bad language, anxiety, OCD, lack of empathy or compassion and the rude and aggressive behaviour are very wearing and difficult to cope with.
The GP was amazing - she arranged an 80 yr old well-being check and saw for herself his shuffling gait, the wrong answers to questions and the denial of problems for herself. She arranged the brain scan and reported back to us. He is still in total denial and I am having to take on the responsibility for our future wellbeing.
Going out is a nightmare with him not being able to walk too well (he now shuffles badly) and I never know what he is likely to come out with (bad language, racism or just really loud & rude comments about others). I can’t argue or fight with him any more. I am exhausted and just want some peace and quiet.
I have recently been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder and it is very painful. We also live in a very rural area but I have managed to find a local lady to come and give me some domestic help and she has also offered to help me to have some respite to get out and visit friends and/or to go to visit my grand children and has even offered to come in more regularly if I decide to go and visit our daughter in Australia!
Try to think ahead and get some strategies in place to cope when things deteriorate.
Good wishes and hugs to you.
Sandra