Hi everyone, my Nan was diagnosed with vascular dementia last year but over the last 3 months she has gotten worse. I'm getting so frustrated over the relaxed nature of the rest of the family not doing anything to help. A year has passed since her diagnosis and nothing has been done about it, she hasn't seen or heard from a doctor since! No trips to the doctors, no medication, no help...nothing.
The hardest thing about it is that my Nan is in denial, she says there is nothing wrong with her. Whenever I try to talk to her, which I do in a very soft and cautious way when the moment feels right she just goes all quiet and doesn't speak. I'm very close to my Nan and I can tell she's very much aware she has it but just doesn't want to talk about it. It's so difficult to help her when she won't accept the help!
I managed to get her booked in with a doctor who specialises in mental health yesterday and my Mum went with her. Apparently everything went really well and the doctor was brilliant with my Nan and she seemed to understand and accept what is happening to her. Whether she'll remember it is a different story, I rang a few hours later to ask how the doctors went and she'd forgotten my Mum was with her and said the doctor had told her she was fine . She is having further tests and has been advised to take Asprin for the time being until they get the results back and they can give her proper medication.
That's a little bit about my Nan. I was hoping someone could offer some advice on where to go from here and what help she could get. She will continue to get worse, this I'm aware of but what can I do to help her when she's so stubborn and won't accept the help easily? I'm terrified she's going to deteriorate quickly if she just ignores it. She's retired and spends her days alone. I've recommended going to social groups to meet new people but she refuses to, I think the thought scares her. I've mentioned about writing a diary, she pulls a face like it's a ridiculous idea...I just feel so helpless and stuck . It breaks my heart to see her so confused, I can see in her face how tired she is with it all.
I hope to hear from someone soon!
The hardest thing about it is that my Nan is in denial, she says there is nothing wrong with her. Whenever I try to talk to her, which I do in a very soft and cautious way when the moment feels right she just goes all quiet and doesn't speak. I'm very close to my Nan and I can tell she's very much aware she has it but just doesn't want to talk about it. It's so difficult to help her when she won't accept the help!
I managed to get her booked in with a doctor who specialises in mental health yesterday and my Mum went with her. Apparently everything went really well and the doctor was brilliant with my Nan and she seemed to understand and accept what is happening to her. Whether she'll remember it is a different story, I rang a few hours later to ask how the doctors went and she'd forgotten my Mum was with her and said the doctor had told her she was fine . She is having further tests and has been advised to take Asprin for the time being until they get the results back and they can give her proper medication.
That's a little bit about my Nan. I was hoping someone could offer some advice on where to go from here and what help she could get. She will continue to get worse, this I'm aware of but what can I do to help her when she's so stubborn and won't accept the help easily? I'm terrified she's going to deteriorate quickly if she just ignores it. She's retired and spends her days alone. I've recommended going to social groups to meet new people but she refuses to, I think the thought scares her. I've mentioned about writing a diary, she pulls a face like it's a ridiculous idea...I just feel so helpless and stuck . It breaks my heart to see her so confused, I can see in her face how tired she is with it all.
I hope to hear from someone soon!