My husband has suffered with Alzheimer's for 11yrs.
- Thread starter Wishy
- Start date
Oh goodness I'm sorry but that made me smile. My mum had vascular dementia and she did exactly the same. It drove me up the wall! My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 15 years ago and would you believe that not long after mum died he started doing it. I never found a way to distract them or stop it. My husband doesn't communicate much at all now so we don't have it anymore. Sorry no advice- just much sympathy. 
OH was like that. He was reading me the posters on the tube and the subtitles on TV and in the cinema.... The latter was not just distracting me but disturbing others so I basically shushed him and clamped my hand over his mouth to shut him up. That was the only thing that helped!
He's not doing it anymore as he's basically stopped speaking apart from very short sentences, which I now find sadder than any subtitle reading, to be honest.
I think the reason is that it's more difficult for them to understand written signs so they read them out loud. When it gets too hard trying to understand or making themselves understood, they more or less stop speaking altogether.
He's not doing it anymore as he's basically stopped speaking apart from very short sentences, which I now find sadder than any subtitle reading, to be honest.
I think the reason is that it's more difficult for them to understand written signs so they read them out loud. When it gets too hard trying to understand or making themselves understood, they more or less stop speaking altogether.
There was a lady in mums CH like that. It made me smile because she would tell everyone over and over that she "couldnt see a dicky bird" and would then read all the signs on the wall!
It seemed to be almost like a reflex reaction - she would see the words and say them and didnt seem to have any control over it.
It seemed to be almost like a reflex reaction - she would see the words and say them and didnt seem to have any control over it.
Yes. John does this all the time. Worse - if I'm reading in bed he decides to read me bits out of the tabloid which is the only type of newspaper he can follow nowadays. I put up with poster reading but if I'm deep in a book it feels like an attack when I'm interrupted! I think the Kindle I use particularly leads to this as he doesn't understand what I'm doing.
The book I'm enjoying at present is William Boyd's Sweet Caress.
The book I'm enjoying at present is William Boyd's Sweet Caress.
My husband did it for a while but not so much now. He gives me a running commentary about the cars around us when I'm driving instead and calls me every time there is a bird in the garden or someone walking past the house. Seems like if its not one thing its something else.
Mum does this a little. I think it's because it's something she does understand, on the whole, whereas so much else is beyond her now.
Hi Wishy, and welcome to Talking Point.
My husband used to do this when he was in the middle stages, and it lasted for a few months. I think it was his way of proving to himself that he could still read. When he did it correctly, I used to just murmur "that's right".I became quite good at murmuring, and if he was wrong, I'd just murmur, without actually saying anything.
I know it can get on your nerves, but it may be that your hubby too wants to assure himself that he can still do this.
Annoying as this is undoubtedly is, I bet I'm not the only one who looks back sadly to the time when my partner still had the ability to read and speak. If someone could transport us back there I reckon I could put up with the repetition.
My OH would tell me every house that was up for sale! Every trip in the car was a running commentary. Drove me nuts but he has moved on now number plates. Very interesting!
