Not speaking

Suesue.G.

Registered User
Aug 9, 2020
79
0
My OH, who has Vascular Dementia and Alzheimers is starting to use words less and less to communicate. He seems to whisper rather than speak. I asked him why and he holds his throat.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,075
0
Bury
You could tell his GP about this, maybe leading to a assessment by SALT (speech and language therapy) .
 

karaokePete

Registered User
Jul 23, 2017
6,534
0
N Ireland
Some people with dementia develop a symptom, known as Aphasia, that can make use/understanding of language difficult. Difficulty with swallow can follow this. My wife has these issues and is awaiting an appointment with the local SALT team.

Your OH may also be indicating pain. Overall I think it may be an idea to run this past the GP.
 

Suesue.G.

Registered User
Aug 9, 2020
79
0
We do have a phone appointment with G.P. next week. He hasn't seen a doctor since his diagnosis, all phone appointments. To be fair the Speech and Language ladies have been really helpful and we have a Face to Face appointment next month. I have been wondering if he is feeling any pain but he says, indicates, not
 

Bettysue

Registered User
Mar 21, 2020
204
0
My partner has what the consultant called expressive and receptive dysphasia. This means he cannot express anything or understand anything much that is said. It concerns me that if he becomes unwell in any way he is unable to explain what is wrong or answer any questions. He had a week on hospital with a UTI and was bewildered by the whole experience.
 

Mr.A

Registered User
Jun 5, 2021
73
0
My OH, who has Vascular Dementia and Alzheimers is starting to use words less and less to communicate. He seems to whisper rather than speak. I asked him why and he holds his throat.
I can only pass on what i am learning as I go. My wife is doing this and I have discovered that she is not drinking as much as she should. This apparently leads to dehydration which in turn causes hallucinations and when she is in a hallucinatory state I can tell that she thinks there are other people in the room. That is when she starts whispering to me. May not be the case but it pays to probe possibilities.
 

sweet alice

New member
Jul 27, 2021
1
0
Some people with dementia develop a symptom, known as Aphasia, that can make use/understanding of language difficult. Difficulty with swallow can follow this. My wife has these issues and is awaiting an appointment with the local SALT team.

Your OH may also be indicating pain. Overall I think it may be an idea to run this past the GP.
my husband is the same, he either wispers of doesn t say anything even when i ask him, its so tireing
 

karaokePete

Registered User
Jul 23, 2017
6,534
0
N Ireland
Hello and welcome to the forum @sweet alice

Yes, it is tiresome for us spouses/carers.

I think that behaviour may be produced by embarrassment about the aphasia. That is understandable but it can be frustrating as it's hard to help in such circumstances.
 

Suesue.G.

Registered User
Aug 9, 2020
79
0
I had a phone appointment with OH GP today. To say I felt that he wasn't interested in seeing OH is an understatement! He hasn't seen his doctor since Oct 2019 when I asked to be referred to the Memory Clinic. He just kept saying Well this is how Dementia goes. He asked if I had heard from Dementia Support Services! I didn't even know that existed! He says he will refer OH to them and wait to be contacted. I kind of feel that I am making it up as I go along, as far as my husband's care is concerned
 

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