Need advice

[Ollie2021]

My mum took a fall about 3/4 weeks ago. Thankfully she didn’t physically hurt herself. Since then we have lost part of mum. She is 79, normally very independent, relatively healthy and very on the ball with things. This isn’t the case now. She has had a CT scan that showed everything was “ok”. She has been referred to a memory clinic which will take a few months now because of covid. My questions are, is it possible for someone to fall and end up with dementia? And does some types of dementia not show up on a CT scan?

 

[Louise7]

Hello @JohnDaw23456 welcome to DTP. Sorry to hear about your mum, it must be a worrying time for you. Unfortunately a hospital stay or fall can cause deterioration in someone elderly, whether they have dementia or not. Are there any specific changes in your mum that you are concerned about? When the hospital said that the scan was 'ok' it could be that they were specifically looking for signs of injury following the fall rather than signs of dementia but the memory clinic will consider the scan result alongside any other tests that may be required before confirming a diagnosis. It can take some time to obtain a dementia diagnosis as often several tests may be required, and it isn't always possible to confirm a diagnosis with just a CT scan. You may find this factsheet about the diagnosis process helpful, and keep posting as this is a friendly and supportive community:

How to get a dementia diagnosis

The dementia diagnosis process can be different for everyone. This page describes the typical steps involved in getting a diagnosis.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[Weasell]

My mum got delirium after a fall.
No idea if that would be the case here, but you may wish to google it.
Mum did recover, but never to where she was before.

 

[Szaitisja]

My friend who I looked after had a fall several years ago. Before that she was a very active 95 year old and no one suspected dementia at all. She was doing everything herself at home, with friends taking her shopping once a week and a cleaner coming every now and then to help with more difficult cleaning jobs. After the fall she was experiencing memory problems and other issues and within few months after tests and investigations was diagnosed with vascular dementia. It is hard to say if perhaps it might have already started developing beforehand and the fall and hitting her head sped it up, but it certainly appeared like this is what has happened.

 

[canary]

When dementia first starts the effects are so slight that you dont actually notice it on a day to day basis and at this point it doesnt show up on a scan either. Research suggests that dementia starts years (if not decades) before diagnosis. Unfortunately, things like shock, pain, infection and anaesthetic can all progress dementia and at this point you may start noticing it. Also, in the early stages a CT scan isnt detailed enough to pick up dementia changes and it will require an MRI scan, so you may find that the memory clinic requests an MRI.