Questions

[jennyjudd]

Could someone tell me what kind of timescale I'm looking at?

Is Vascular Dementia very different from AD in the way things progress?

I know it probably sounds insensitive, but it's just one of very many questions that keep running through my head.

A very good friend of mine's husband passed away with AD 8 years ago, after suffering for about 4 years.

Am I looking at a similar decline with my Mum and her vascular dementia?

Thanks so much.

 

[Grannie G]

Jenny, I really don`t think anyone can answer your question. I understand why you want to know, but there are so many differences and so many other factors to consider, you are asking the unanswerable.

I`m afraid, with All forms of Vascular Dementia, Alzheimers, whatever you label it, it really is one day at a time.

Take care

 

[jenniferpa]

The standard answer is that with vascular dementia you get a "stepped" progression, each downturn being associated with a TIA (mini-stroke) while with AD it's a more gradual decline. Unfortunately, in practice the whole thing can be very different. Quite a few people end up with being diagnosed with a mix of dementias, in part I feel, because AD is difficult to diagnose with absolute certainty until you get to the stage of an autopsy: it's almost a diagnosis of exclusion. Also, of course, many people with a dementia diagnosis have other health problems and/or are elderly, so you also have to look at age of onset and general health. We would all like a crystal ball: if nothing else it would make financial planning that much easier, but it doesn't work like that. I can be reasonably certain that my mother (stroke induced dementia) won't live another 10 years, but that's more to do with the fact that she will be 90 in a couple of months, and statistically, not that many live to 100 particularly when they have other health issues. She might do though: she gets excellent care in her nursing home, but on the other hand, if a respiratory illness swept through the home, it could be next week.

Jennifer

 

[Margarita]

I use to think like that how long the time scale was; only because I wanted to plan so many things in the future, hope that does not sound cruel. Soon as I stop doing that I must say I did feel so much better within myself , not knowing what the next day brings with my mum was very hard to adjust to, when your so use to planning your life , what that saying “people plan god laugh” he was sure laughing at me, I thought till I drop god , and had the last laugh with myself and tried to adapt to the unexpected future with my mother ( my choice)


Sorry have not answered your question , but thought I would share

 

[DeborahBlythe]

, not that many live to 100 particularly when they have other health issues. She might do though:

Jennifer

I was speaking to a friend this week whose mother has dementia and who has reached the age of 101. She refuses to use a wheelchair, ( " What do I need that thing for?") and prefers to potter about on her two slightly unsteady feet.
This lady does have a few health issues, but she is still mobile enough to live in a residential care home, not a nursing home! She also gets herself to the bathroom with minimal assistance!

 

[Helena]

Jennyjudd

My Mother was 90 when she died last year as a result of VD

I would say the first real symptoms were 5 yrs ago but that until 18months ago she hid most of it

However once the TIAs started coming every few weeks the decline was pretty fast and i cant say it was particularily stepped

More she would lurch from extreme confusion one minute/day or week to being totally on the ball the next

Very very hard to cope with especially when the agression and hitting out and fiecre arguments started

Once she fell and got pneumonia and then Clostridium Difficile the progression was very rapid indeed

My one regret was that the GP / Doctors failed to diagnose her or refer her to Memory clinic and because of this instead of the Hospital simply making her comfortable when pneumonia struck they fought too hard to keep her alive the result was horrendous both for her and us

The Hospital told me that if a Diagnosis of AD or VD or a Living Will was on her files given her age they would have simply made her comfortable .........that would have been her express wish and ours