My mother recently developed epilepsy and has been diagnosed with dementia most probably Alzheimer's according to her neurologist. I have taken over all her medical appointments as my Dad is finding it all a bit much.
She has had many tests / scans recently and we are awaiting the results. Today we visited her family doctor to fill in a form to allow my dad to get a small carers payment from the government. She conducted a short memory test which my Mum passed and pronounced congratulations you don't have Alzheimer's go throw a party.
My Dad and I did not want to embarrass / upset my mother by pointing out the ways she does not function. We care much more about her feelings than the small payment from the government.
The thing is my Mum is a really well groomed lovely 70 year old lady who passed the memory test well. However she can not leave the GP's office and walk into the pharmacy next door and fill a prescription. She can't ring people most of the time without assistance because even with the phone number in front of her she will get it wrong. If she is given an appointment date over the phone she can not put it into the calender correctly or remember to attend appointments after checking the calender. She can't work out which key opens her front door. She will pick up random pieces of paper at my house and ask if it's hers. If dropped in the street that her doctor of ten years is in she can't find the building.
She can tell me all about her Grandaughters dance recital three days prior but often repeats herself three times in half an hour.
She can't follow a recipe but still cooks. She can't remember how I like my tea.
She tries to pay for purchases with the wrong card and leaves her shopping behind. She is finds it impossible work out how to give the correct money at the cafe in spite of prompts by the waitress.
The above is just a small snippet of her memory problems.
Of course in fairness her family doctor doesn't see any of this.
I have come here to ask. Is this typical of Alzheimers or does my Mum possibly have some weird sort of out of the box dementia.
By the way she had lots and lots of electric shock therapy in her 40's and her memory has been dodgy since however now it's reached another level.
All feedback would be most gratefully received.
She has had many tests / scans recently and we are awaiting the results. Today we visited her family doctor to fill in a form to allow my dad to get a small carers payment from the government. She conducted a short memory test which my Mum passed and pronounced congratulations you don't have Alzheimer's go throw a party.
My Dad and I did not want to embarrass / upset my mother by pointing out the ways she does not function. We care much more about her feelings than the small payment from the government.
The thing is my Mum is a really well groomed lovely 70 year old lady who passed the memory test well. However she can not leave the GP's office and walk into the pharmacy next door and fill a prescription. She can't ring people most of the time without assistance because even with the phone number in front of her she will get it wrong. If she is given an appointment date over the phone she can not put it into the calender correctly or remember to attend appointments after checking the calender. She can't work out which key opens her front door. She will pick up random pieces of paper at my house and ask if it's hers. If dropped in the street that her doctor of ten years is in she can't find the building.
She can tell me all about her Grandaughters dance recital three days prior but often repeats herself three times in half an hour.
She can't follow a recipe but still cooks. She can't remember how I like my tea.
She tries to pay for purchases with the wrong card and leaves her shopping behind. She is finds it impossible work out how to give the correct money at the cafe in spite of prompts by the waitress.
The above is just a small snippet of her memory problems.
Of course in fairness her family doctor doesn't see any of this.
I have come here to ask. Is this typical of Alzheimers or does my Mum possibly have some weird sort of out of the box dementia.
By the way she had lots and lots of electric shock therapy in her 40's and her memory has been dodgy since however now it's reached another level.
All feedback would be most gratefully received.
