How can it be that Dad can walk, and sit and watch tv but not talk? I visit with him an hour most every other day, and its been more than 2 yrs since he's said anything but a few words, and more yrs than I can remember since i could be sure that any utterances he makes were intentionally said. I.e. He says words now and then but I don't know if they just came out accidentally with no link to a conscious thought or whether he was actually trying to communicate with me.
My husband who I have been with for 7yrs has no recollection of my Dad ever 'talking' other than a 'yes' or a 'no'.
Yes I chat with him all the time. And I think I know what he wants to tell me, and I think his mumbles mean something most of the time.....but what I would do, to just have him 'speak' to me again!!! Hear it from him, not from my memories of who I think he is.
Ha! Thats why I haven't been on here for a long time...I am in tears already! Just thought i'd post here to clarify one of the sides to dementia many are not aware of...when it takes your loved one's ability to communicate away. Its not just the words...Dad can't point to things, or act out his messages...the best communication methods he has these days are loud yells...but even they can be random unconscious events at times. I'm not even sure if Dad can hold a train of thought long enough to want to be able to communicate with me...I often think its almost as if he has become autistic to a certain degree as he doesn't seem to need a great amount of interaction.....but he does light up when he sees me...in fact I often walk away and come back again...several times in a visit, just because he gets a real kick out of me arriving but I don't think he is able to stay on the train of thought to appreciate me staying!
Anyway other than this complaining...for those who know me well, the latest update on Dad is that he no worse off than 1 and a half yrs ago...after spiralling downward very rapidly in what seemed to be the last curtain call and resulted in Dad being admitted full time in a home...in the last 18 months its as if his disease has left him...left him demented and disabled...but it does not seem to be attacking his abilities any further. Has anyone else experienced this...a period of stability lasting almost 2yrs? So much so that when it comes around to his 2nd anniversary in the home next year in April...if he hasn't gotten worse I will be doing some foot stomping and requiring doctors to reassess...though I don't know how I am going to achieve this...
My husband who I have been with for 7yrs has no recollection of my Dad ever 'talking' other than a 'yes' or a 'no'.
Yes I chat with him all the time. And I think I know what he wants to tell me, and I think his mumbles mean something most of the time.....but what I would do, to just have him 'speak' to me again!!! Hear it from him, not from my memories of who I think he is.
Ha! Thats why I haven't been on here for a long time...I am in tears already! Just thought i'd post here to clarify one of the sides to dementia many are not aware of...when it takes your loved one's ability to communicate away. Its not just the words...Dad can't point to things, or act out his messages...the best communication methods he has these days are loud yells...but even they can be random unconscious events at times. I'm not even sure if Dad can hold a train of thought long enough to want to be able to communicate with me...I often think its almost as if he has become autistic to a certain degree as he doesn't seem to need a great amount of interaction.....but he does light up when he sees me...in fact I often walk away and come back again...several times in a visit, just because he gets a real kick out of me arriving but I don't think he is able to stay on the train of thought to appreciate me staying!
Anyway other than this complaining...for those who know me well, the latest update on Dad is that he no worse off than 1 and a half yrs ago...after spiralling downward very rapidly in what seemed to be the last curtain call and resulted in Dad being admitted full time in a home...in the last 18 months its as if his disease has left him...left him demented and disabled...but it does not seem to be attacking his abilities any further. Has anyone else experienced this...a period of stability lasting almost 2yrs? So much so that when it comes around to his 2nd anniversary in the home next year in April...if he hasn't gotten worse I will be doing some foot stomping and requiring doctors to reassess...though I don't know how I am going to achieve this...