Memory

[Reds]

My husband has Alzheimer's and although of course I know can affect memory badly because he doesn't seem too bad in some ways I can't believe that he can't recall one little tiny bit of going out for several meals though out last year with a couple of friends. He can't picture the friends faces, can't remember we had the meals out, that our son gave us lifts there, where we went plus a long weekend away we had with them. When we went away we travelled by train, visited different museums, had a boat trip etc and he can't recall any of it. Can Alzhemier's really affect memory to this extreme? He seems to remind me about things such as do I need my glasses, have I remembered a letter that needs posting, am I going to have my dinner, did I get some milk, when am I going to put the dinner on etc.

Reds

 

[Izzy]

It certainly can. My husband used to recall events from his younger days but not recent details. Now he has no recollection of anything at all. He still recognises people but doesn't know them (apart from me). He doesn't even remember that he needs to turn right to go the loo from our living room.

 

[loveahug]

my mum's memory is reduced to fretting over locked doors, money in purse, do we have milk and I think that is what it is just everyday fretting. as to remembering events, half an hou after coming out of hospital she has forgotten she was there. She currently has a cold and is surprised every time she wakes up (in the morning or after a nap) to find she has a cold! Events as opposed to habitual everyday routines just cannot be retained at this point.

Best wishes

 

[Spamar]

OH seems to be on a par with Izzy's. We live in a bungalow and he can't remember where bedroom/loo/living is if he is in one of the others. Yet he gave neighbours an account of his national service the other day!

 

[Reds]

Thank you for replies.

It is actually good to hear some experiences about the 'memory' as a lot of posts are about other things really even though Alzheimer's and similar illness are a memory problem.

I told my husband early this afternoon that we are meeting the friends very soon for a meal and when I just mentioned it again he said 'are we'. He still seems so normal in many ways it really is hard to believe! I tend to think is it because he is just not concentrating enough, may be tired or preoccupied with other thinking.

Feels so sad that he can't recall many of the good times we have had together. Does make me feel lonely and feel so sorry for him.

Reds

 

[Jess26]

No it's not because he's not concentrating I'm afraid it's the awful disease.
I would pick mum up from daycare take her home, she would walk in the front door and stand there asking why she had her coat on and deny she had been out. But she could describe events from her childhood and when she was in the army with great clarity.

 

[Katrine]

It's the inability to store new memories that your husband is experiencing. He cannot store things in short term memory because the mechanism for this is damaged. All retained memories have to transfer from short term to long term memory, so he also won't be able to store new experiences in long term memory.

He will have the ability to recall things from his existing long term memories. Not forever, but at the moment he will still be able to do this. He will naturally prefer to talk about things that he remembers well.

He may also 'confabulate', which is telling people about recent experiences that are not based in fact. Old memories and daily habits get jumbled up and reassembled as an apparently coherent story. Sometimes there is a basis in a recent experience, but it is often the emotion that is retained from that experience, with details added that seem to fit around the emotion.

 

[Izzy]

I think that this analogy explains things well -

http://youtu.be/5SpQxD90lyE

 

[Katrine]

I do understand how lonely this must make you feel.

I know it's not the same for us because we are not supporting our life partner with dementia, but OH and I, and his siblings, feel very sad that whatever we do with MIL she will have forgotten it almost straight away. He and his siblings agree that we should still strive to give her pleasurable experiences that she will enjoy 'in the moment'. Overall if she is relaxed and content then we know she is having good experiences every day.

She lives in a CH now where she gets company and a safe structured routine, and good food, clean clothes, and reassurance 24/7. When she still lived on her own we could take her out for a lovely fun packed day (or even a week's holiday) but she would still be unsafe, lonely, confused and frightened once she was back home. We could not balance out the negative experiences of daily living by injecting a measure of good experiences.... because she has NO short-term memory. She lives in the moment.

 

[Lawson58]

Have just checked out your youtube link Katrine and I think it is one of the best demonstrations of understanding dementia that I have across.

A big thank you!

 

[Izzy]

Have just checked out your youtube link Katrine and I think it is one of the best demonstrations of understanding dementia that I have across.

A big thank you!

It was my link. I first saw it when I did the Dementia Friends training. I think it's excellent.

 

[lin1]

Thanks for the link Izzy.
Brilliant. I wish they would include it on any future ads on TV .

 

[Izzy]

It is good isn't Lin. So clear.


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point mobile app

 

[Reds]

Thanks everyone. I went on to the YouTube Link which did work apart from 'no sound' even though the sound is up.

Any suggestion of how to get the sound to work?

Reds

 

[Izzy]

Thanks everyone. I went on to the YouTube Link which did work apart from 'no sound' even though the sound is up.

Any suggestion of how to get the sound to work?

Reds

I'm sorry I don't know the answer to that! Maybe you can get some help here -

http://www.winxdvd.com/resource/fix-youtube-video-no-sound-problems.htm

 

[jeany123]

Thanks everyone. I went on to the YouTube Link which did work apart from 'no sound' even though the sound is up.

Any suggestion of how to get the sound to work?

Reds

Have you got the sound on your computer and the bottom of the youtube film you have to click on the little speaker at the left bottom next to pause and unmute it,

 

[Reds]

Thank you.

Yes the sound is on.

Reds

 

[esmeralda]

It's the inability to store new memories that your husband is experiencing. He cannot store things in short term memory because the mechanism for this is damaged. All retained memories have to transfer from short term to long term memory, so he also won't be able to store new experiences in long term memory.

He will have the ability to recall things from his existing long term memories. Not forever, but at the moment he will still be able to do this. He will naturally prefer to talk about things that he remembers well.

He may also 'confabulate', which is telling people about recent experiences that are not based in fact. Old memories and daily habits get jumbled up and reassembled as an apparently coherent story. Sometimes there is a basis in a recent experience, but it is often the emotion that is retained from that experience, with details added that seem to fit around the emotion.

Thank you very much for that Katrine, the 'confabulation' has been going on for a long time, way before the diagnosis and used to drive me a bit mad!

 

[Callandergirl]

Bookcase analogy

An excellent explanation Izzy. Thank you.

 

[Lindy50]

Thanks Izzy for a brilliant explanation of the effects of dementia

It links with what I have always felt, but couldn't previously have explained. I will certainly share it with OH and our children.....I think it will be very helpful.

Thanks again x