Hello everyone,
Like most people on here, I'm worried.
I've noticed patterns of repetition in my mum's speech - she'll make the same smalltalk comment (eg "it's muggy today") again and again throughout the day, sometimes addressed to different people if she comes into contact with them, mainly to me or into my general direction. Sometimes the phrase will be repeated two or three times in quick succession. She can be very insistent in asking questions - she's always been a bit of a "smother mother", with a tendency towards overprotective anxiety,
but I feel this has ramped up a bit ("The plant would look nice there... You could put the plant there, I think... Shall I put the plant there?... I really love when plants are put that way...").
She is 72 and soon will be getting a hearing test, as this has become worse over the last year.
I have also noticed that she will repeat something that I have said, but presented as her own thought. I am not sure if she is aware of this. Sometimes if challenged with "I said that" or "you've already told me that", she will admit to it - sometimes she will accurately recall the circumstances, other times not.
She has terrible headaches and spondylitis in the neck, which I think tires her a lot and makes her feel a bit foggy. However, I'm worried about potential dementia as the repetition also occurs when she is feeling well.
English is not her first language, but she has always had a great command of it. From time to time now she struggles to find or use the right word, and will 'describe around it'.
In closing, my dad had Alzheimers and it was me who first noticed he was unwell. I have that horrible feeling again. His illness started quite differently, though, and was more 'noticeable' given his character. My mum has always been on the scatty side, with a mind that has always butterflied around (while somehow also being organised!). At the moment, she is good at keeping up with current affairs, managing her money, remembering appointments, relating all the gossip from her friends, etc. It's mainly this verbal repetition (oh, she also repeats herself in WhatsApp messages) and instances of forgetting snippets of conversation....
Very grateful to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Thanks very much. Xxx
Like most people on here, I'm worried.
I've noticed patterns of repetition in my mum's speech - she'll make the same smalltalk comment (eg "it's muggy today") again and again throughout the day, sometimes addressed to different people if she comes into contact with them, mainly to me or into my general direction. Sometimes the phrase will be repeated two or three times in quick succession. She can be very insistent in asking questions - she's always been a bit of a "smother mother", with a tendency towards overprotective anxiety,
but I feel this has ramped up a bit ("The plant would look nice there... You could put the plant there, I think... Shall I put the plant there?... I really love when plants are put that way...").
She is 72 and soon will be getting a hearing test, as this has become worse over the last year.
I have also noticed that she will repeat something that I have said, but presented as her own thought. I am not sure if she is aware of this. Sometimes if challenged with "I said that" or "you've already told me that", she will admit to it - sometimes she will accurately recall the circumstances, other times not.
She has terrible headaches and spondylitis in the neck, which I think tires her a lot and makes her feel a bit foggy. However, I'm worried about potential dementia as the repetition also occurs when she is feeling well.
English is not her first language, but she has always had a great command of it. From time to time now she struggles to find or use the right word, and will 'describe around it'.
In closing, my dad had Alzheimers and it was me who first noticed he was unwell. I have that horrible feeling again. His illness started quite differently, though, and was more 'noticeable' given his character. My mum has always been on the scatty side, with a mind that has always butterflied around (while somehow also being organised!). At the moment, she is good at keeping up with current affairs, managing her money, remembering appointments, relating all the gossip from her friends, etc. It's mainly this verbal repetition (oh, she also repeats herself in WhatsApp messages) and instances of forgetting snippets of conversation....
Very grateful to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Thanks very much. Xxx
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