Is concept of monetary value affected by dementia?

[Bigbird3141]

My mother in law received an Alzheimer's diagnosis 18 months ago, although we had suspected for a while and tests a year earlier did not result in a diagnosis. Her typical symptoms are short memory loss and occasional uncharacteristic fits of temper. This Christmas however a couple of things made us think. Firstly she received a tesco voucher for 65p off £2.50 of cheese - this caused consternation because "nobody spends £2.50 on cheese! I've never spent more than £1." Then she gave her grandchildren £5 each for Christmas - in the past it's been at least £15-20: they are not poor and their financial position has not changed. There have been other occasions too where the cost/value of something has been greatly underestimated. Is this a common symptom? It seems to be a different sort of forgetfulness to who wants a cup of tea, or what time we're leaving. It's as if she thinks of the value of things in terms of 20 years ago.
Any thoughts?

 

[Izzy]

Absolutely. My mum was very much as you describe. I think that's the white thing. Dementia isn't just forgetfulness. It's much more complex than that.

 

[Spamar]

Dementia sufferers live in the past, so why would they know the price of things today? My OH is similar. He thought £12 to go and see a show was ruinously expensive!

 

[Delphie]

Dementia affects the memory and reasoning (and the rest) so it's easy to see how the concept of value will be lost at some point.

 

[garnuft]

My Mam is the same. She didn't give anyone anything for Xmas this year.
Previous years she has written cheques (modest ones but enough for each if us to buy gifts on her behalf for ourselves, in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, then help her to wrap and deliver them)

This year she was distressed that she didn't have any Xmas shopping but trips out with her to buy stuff were a disaster as she thought £5 was too much to pay for anyone or anything.

She refused to write a cheque, became angry that we were just after her money and so we just gave up and warned everyone what had happened.

It doesn't matter but she would be very upset if she realised.

She gave my youngest son (26 disabled) 50p on Xmas day but took the 50p back she gave to my oldest as she remembered he was working and therefore didn't need it.

 

[starryuk]

My mum too.
She has recently offered to buy me a new car and a new house. (I don't need either).
Either she assumes she is very wealthy, or she thinks cars and houses cost a few hundred pounds...I wish!

 

[Saffie]

When dementia comes through the door, logical thinking flies out of the window.
Dementia is so much more than memory loss, it is so very much more on so many levels including personality change sometimes.

 

[Noorza]

My Mam is the same. She didn't give anyone anything for Xmas this year.
Previous years she has written cheques (modest ones but enough for each if us to buy gifts on her behalf for ourselves, in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, then help her to wrap and deliver them)

This year she was distressed that she didn't have any Xmas shopping but trips out with her to buy stuff were a disaster as she thought £5 was too much to pay for anyone or anything.

She refused to write a cheque, became angry that we were just after her money and so we just gave up and warned everyone what had happened.

It doesn't matter but she would be very upset if she realised.

She gave my youngest son (26 disabled) 50p on Xmas day but took the 50p back she gave to my oldest as she remembered he was working and therefore didn't need it.

That is so ridiculous but so typically dementia at work.

 

[Gill1961]

Hi,

I can remember my late Mum had an absolute fascination for charity shops, which are plentiful in our local high streets.

I feel perhaps she could relate to the prices there when compared to the regular high street store.

Happy new year and best wishes,

Gill

 

[Shash7677]

My mum at least 2 years before her actual diagnosis offered to help pay for my eldest sons birthday party, he had it in a soft play place with food and platters for parents. It was ridiculously expensive, nearly £200, mum gave me £10 towards it!

After her diagnosis she spent money like it was going out of fashion, she has 5 Radley handbags and 2 Radley purses!!! Sometimes she would look at a price tag and think the 25% off label actually said £25. It could me embarrassing at times!

We were off on Holiday also one time and she gave me the boys pocket money to take (£20 each), 5 minutes later she gave me another £20 each, I said if already got money and she said 'not from me here!', I would have ended up with about £200 had I not insisted that the boys didn't need any money. Needless to say after that I said 'thanks mum' to anything she gave me and then swiftly gave it back to my dad when she wasn't looking!!!!

She really had no idea of anything when it came to money.

 

[Lindy-Lou]

My mother in law received an Alzheimer's diagnosis 18 months ago, although we had suspected for a while and tests a year earlier did not result in a diagnosis. Her typical symptoms are short memory loss and occasional uncharacteristic fits of temper. This Christmas however a couple of things made us think. Firstly she received a tesco voucher for 65p off £2.50 of cheese - this caused consternation because "nobody spends £2.50 on cheese! I've never spent more than £1." Then she gave her grandchildren £5 each for Christmas - in the past it's been at least £15-20: they are not poor and their financial position has not changed. There have been other occasions too where the cost/value of something has been greatly underestimated. Is this a common symptom? It seems to be a different sort of forgetfulness to who wants a cup of tea, or what time we're leaving. It's as if she thinks of the value of things in terms of 20 years ago.
Any thoughts?

Hi Bigbird

HMMMMM unfortunately this money thing has happened with my Mum. with her though it seems that she is unable to recognise the coins and notes without studying each one close up and even then doesn't seem to understand how to count them or the value. whether it is visual perception or understanding I have no idea. She has Alzheimer's.

Christmas was a tad embarrassing I had to keep telling her she had bought presents (through me) and given money gifts, although she constantly felt she hadn't. I know she wouldn't have coped on her own.

She also worries about having no money in her purse, although never actually needs any.
I try to see things as she does and in her world. It is the only way I can deal with it, and i find that disagreeing with her causes her too much stress.


If you like reading I would recommend the book "The Little girl in the radiator" it is a lighthearted read by a man who cared for his own mum with alzheimers. I found it helped me regain my sense of humour and showed that as carers we are not alone.

you can download a kindle version for 1.99 GBP

Best wishes

Linda

 

[maryw]

My Mum had always been so on the ball as far as money was concerned and she had always been very generous "here's some money for a coffee treat out" so when that stopped that was very noticeable. Also she gave the carer large sums of money for her weekly shop. Fortunately the carer was honest. To be frank it got to the stage when she no longer had the concept of any monetary value. It makes them very vulnerable...

 

[Dancing Demon]

I agree my father has no idea of money and thinks some things are ridiculously cheap, and some things are very expensive.

He also has no idea about money, how much he has etc. etc.

Very sad........

 

[Dikimiki]

Money matters

My mother in law received an Alzheimer's diagnosis 18 months ago, although we had suspected for a while and tests a year earlier did not result in a diagnosis. Her typical symptoms are short memory loss and occasional uncharacteristic fits of temper. This Christmas however a couple of things made us think. Firstly she received a tesco voucher for 65p off £2.50 of cheese - this caused consternation because "nobody spends £2.50 on cheese! I've never spent more than £1." Then she gave her grandchildren £5 each for Christmas - in the past it's been at least £15-20: they are not poor and their financial position has not changed. There have been other occasions too where the cost/value of something has been greatly underestimated. Is this a common symptom? It seems to be a different sort of forgetfulness to who wants a cup of tea, or what time we're leaving. It's as if she thinks of the value of things in terms of 20 years ago.
Any thoughts?

I always used to put loose change in my wife's purse and she carried this in her handbag everywhere; but I always paid saying, "It's okay, love, I'll get it!" She was happy with this arrangement, she liked to know she had money if it were needed, but I never let her suffer stress over shopping, paying, etc.
Also if she lost or mislaid her handbag it would be of no consequence since there was never anything of real importance or value in it.
People with dementia remember the usefulness and necessity of money but can no longer handle it, they are too confused.

 

[Witzend]

I guess it's because of regressing to the past, which happens such a lot. Both my mother and my FIL lost all sight of current monetary value.

And a few weeks ago I was in my mother's care home when some of the ladies were having their nails done. I stopped and said to one of them what a pretty colour varnish it was, and picked up the bottle to have a look. 'Yes,' she said, 'and do you know, it was only one and six!' .
(Twelve and a half P for those who didn't grow up with old money!)

 

[Beenie]

I think my uncle must have gone into the future as far as money is concerned, we had a visitor over christmas that he refused to talk to and just kept giving dirty looks to all afternoon, when the visitor had gone I asked if there was a problem? Yes he said there is! "That man stole my nail scissors and they cost £7000" I just told him I would get them back for him and he was happy with that! Such a sad situation.

 

[TinaT]

My husband had lots of change around the house - adding up to over £200 and more and I often told him off for not using up all this change. Much later as part of a diagnostic test I saw that he could not add up small amounts of coins. I suddenly realised why we had had lots of change around the house for so many years. Despite the fact that he had an A level in maths, he had long ago lost the ability to compute small sums and had only been able to shop by giving notes and receiving change.

xxTina

 

[spuddle]

in a way my mum has gone the opposite way. throwing money around like its going out of fashion. she is not short of money, mostly from working hard and being careful all her life. her reasoning being that 'she cant take it with her' which I understand. however I find her carrying hundreds of pound around with her, but when we get to a checkout she gets in a panic as she doesn't think she has enough money on her. she got very upset when I tried to take some cash off her to put back in the bank, or at least at home in a safe place. she will go and withdraw £300 as she thinks she needs it for something but when questioned hasn't got a clue what for. I will go to the shops to buy something which may cost a couple of £ and she will give me £20 saying are you sure this will be enough. I want her to be independent as much as possible but I don't want her to get ripped off by anyone. we have sorted out POA for her affairs. I want her to be independent as long as possible but want to keep her safe. its so difficult to know when to cross the line.

 

[Ann Mac]

Mil can go either way - daughter spotted her shoving £20 in a charity collection tin, waved in front of her in the supermarket, and we are pretty certain that a young lad (about 11) at her old house frequently offered to do 'little jobs', because Mil was handing him anything from £5 to £40 when he swept her path, for example

On the other hand, I took her with me to the supermarket, one day last week, and spent around £45 on 3 bags of shopping. Now, I was congratulating myself on several bargains I thought I'd got, but Mil was really 'off' with me for around half an hour - and the gist was that she was disgusted at me spending all that money on three measly bags of food, and she wondered (and felt sorry for) her poor son, working 'all the hours God sends', only to have his feckless wife waste such a massive amount of cash on so very little

 

[creativesarah]

My husband had lots of change around the house - adding up to over £200 and more and I often told him off for not using up all this change. Much later as part of a diagnostic test I saw that he could not add up small amounts of coins. I suddenly realised why we had had lots of change around the house for so many years. Despite the fact that he had an A level in maths, he had long ago lost the ability to compute small sums and had only been able to shop by giving notes and receiving change.

xxTina

I have the same problem Tina I have no idea why I have a block when it comes to change.

I really struggle in shops and always have to ask them to check i have given them the right amount. I do try not to take the easy way out by handing over notes, after my friends noticed me doing that.

As I said i cant work out why this happens

Much support

Sarah