I was looking for some idea of what to expect over the next few years and stumbled across this forum. My mum has just been diagnosed with dementia, she is 64. It has been a struggle to get the diagnosis as she is extremely reluctant to admit there is a problem. I think she is terrified of having this illness and I don't know what to say to comfort her. Things have progressively declined over the last few months and years. It began with general forgetfulness, losing car keys, not remembering conversations etc to now forgetting family birthdays, getting lost in places she has lived all her life and becoming aggressive and paranoid about just about everything.
My dad is not coping, to be honest he has never really been the "carer" type. At this point I am filled with sadness, mum and I have always been extremely close and I feel that I am losing her - her personality has changed so much. I want to move them closer to me, something which my dad is keen to do - we live 300 miles apart - but mum seems only to feel safe in her own home. I realise there a no answers, but any ideas on what is helpful or words of wisdom would be appreciated.
My dad is not coping, to be honest he has never really been the "carer" type. At this point I am filled with sadness, mum and I have always been extremely close and I feel that I am losing her - her personality has changed so much. I want to move them closer to me, something which my dad is keen to do - we live 300 miles apart - but mum seems only to feel safe in her own home. I realise there a no answers, but any ideas on what is helpful or words of wisdom would be appreciated.