Hi all, my grandad has been diagnosed with vascular dementia this week. I would say symptoms began to show just over a year ago. However he has seemed to deteriate more in the last month or 2. He now makes excuses to not go to places, he is always needing the toilet, he has lost weight and over the past week sleeping alot throughout the day. I am just wanting to hear other peoples experience or advice. I am worrying my grandad may be in the later stages of this, and what care he may end up needing.
Vascular dementia
- Thread starter JemmaW
- Start date
Hello @JemmaW you are welcome here and I hope you find the forum to be a friendly and supportive place.
I hope you have time to take a good look around the site as it is a goldmine for information. When I first joined I read old threads for information but then found the AS Publications list and the page where a post code search can be done to check for support services in ones own area. If you are interested in these, clicking the following links will take you there
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you
You will see that there are Factsheets that will help with things like getting care needs assessments, deciding the level of care required and sorting out useful things like Wills, Power of Attorney etc., if any of that hasn't already been done. There is also a Dementia Guide in the list.
Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience.
I hope you have time to take a good look around the site as it is a goldmine for information. When I first joined I read old threads for information but then found the AS Publications list and the page where a post code search can be done to check for support services in ones own area. If you are interested in these, clicking the following links will take you there
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you
You will see that there are Factsheets that will help with things like getting care needs assessments, deciding the level of care required and sorting out useful things like Wills, Power of Attorney etc., if any of that hasn't already been done. There is also a Dementia Guide in the list.
Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience.
Hello Jemma
I’m so sorry to hear your grandad has been diaganosed. My nan has exactly the same and was diagnosed 2 years ago. She has deteriorated quite quickly in terms of memory and forgetfulness but still lives independently and some days you wouldn’t even know she’s got dementia (she’s in hospital at the moment after a nasty fall but that’s another story). But i basically go and see her every evening to do her medication and cook her evening meal for her. I also take her shopping, or do her shopping for her, arrange appointments, pick up and arrange medication.
it depends on the stage your grandad is in and it’s difficult to give any specific advice without knowing this or knowing what he does on a daily basis but what I would say is encourage him to stay independent for as long as possible but if you can be a safety barrier for him. So check in on him regularly if you can, check food in the fridge is in date, check he is taking any meds he needs etc. My nan goes to the local shop everyday for a walk, and before lockdown to the cafe for coffee and cake. If she ever needs me, she calls me or tells me anything (if she can remember of course) when I am there late afternoon.
Also, if you feel he needs carers to come in and see him, contact the local social service team and they will carry out a full care assessment for you.
Hope that helps x
I’m so sorry to hear your grandad has been diaganosed. My nan has exactly the same and was diagnosed 2 years ago. She has deteriorated quite quickly in terms of memory and forgetfulness but still lives independently and some days you wouldn’t even know she’s got dementia (she’s in hospital at the moment after a nasty fall but that’s another story). But i basically go and see her every evening to do her medication and cook her evening meal for her. I also take her shopping, or do her shopping for her, arrange appointments, pick up and arrange medication.
it depends on the stage your grandad is in and it’s difficult to give any specific advice without knowing this or knowing what he does on a daily basis but what I would say is encourage him to stay independent for as long as possible but if you can be a safety barrier for him. So check in on him regularly if you can, check food in the fridge is in date, check he is taking any meds he needs etc. My nan goes to the local shop everyday for a walk, and before lockdown to the cafe for coffee and cake. If she ever needs me, she calls me or tells me anything (if she can remember of course) when I am there late afternoon.
Also, if you feel he needs carers to come in and see him, contact the local social service team and they will carry out a full care assessment for you.
Hope that helps x
Hi, thanks for your input and advice. I hope your nan is recovering well after her fall. My grandad was very independent before lockdown, now he only walks his dog and goes to the local shop a few times a week. When he was diagnosed they only gave us an information leaflet, a few tips to improve his diet and said he is now discharged since we now have a diagnosis for him, so were left in the dark really. Do you think it would be worth contacting his gp to see what stage his dementia is at so we can at least plan ahead?
Hi @JemmaW and welcome to DTP
It is very common for the Memory Clinic to make a diagnosis and then discharge - it happened to mum too. Fortunately, one of the leaflets I was given was about the Alzheimers Society and I found my way here, where there is vast collective knowledge and support.
Doctors dont like talking about what "stage" people are at as no-one follows exactly the same path, people can have symptoms from several different stages at the same time, no-one gets all the symptoms and there is no knowing how long people with dementia will be at one stage before they move onto the next. In other words, its impossible to plan for.
Make sure you have got the important things like POA and Will sorted before its too late and he can no longer do it. You can also apply on his behalf for Attendance Allowance, which is not means tested. Once he has Attendance Allowance you can apply for Council Tax disregard.
Other than that, Im afraid that its a question of dealing with the problems as they come along. My experience is that you just about get to grips with one problem and the next one comes along
. That is the beauty of this forum, though, whatever problem you have, someone will have seen it before and you will get lots of advice and suggestions.
It is very common for the Memory Clinic to make a diagnosis and then discharge - it happened to mum too. Fortunately, one of the leaflets I was given was about the Alzheimers Society and I found my way here, where there is vast collective knowledge and support.
Doctors dont like talking about what "stage" people are at as no-one follows exactly the same path, people can have symptoms from several different stages at the same time, no-one gets all the symptoms and there is no knowing how long people with dementia will be at one stage before they move onto the next. In other words, its impossible to plan for.
Make sure you have got the important things like POA and Will sorted before its too late and he can no longer do it. You can also apply on his behalf for Attendance Allowance, which is not means tested. Once he has Attendance Allowance you can apply for Council Tax disregard.
Other than that, Im afraid that its a question of dealing with the problems as they come along. My experience is that you just about get to grips with one problem and the next one comes along
. That is the beauty of this forum, though, whatever problem you have, someone will have seen it before and you will get lots of advice and suggestions.Hi Jemma
My mother is along similar lines. 76 and diagnosed last year but probably had milder symptoms for a few years before that and hid it well.
All of the changes your grandfather experienced are very similar to my experience - although I think we are some way ahead. She is now incontinent, refuses to do anything and sleeps all day.
As suggested, look into POA and will whilst you can, apply for Attendance Allowance and generally keep tabs on him - there is no hard and fast rule.
Try and make sure he is washing and taking care of hygiene. That was one of the first things to go with mum and should have been an indicator.
Good luck
My mother is along similar lines. 76 and diagnosed last year but probably had milder symptoms for a few years before that and hid it well.
All of the changes your grandfather experienced are very similar to my experience - although I think we are some way ahead. She is now incontinent, refuses to do anything and sleeps all day.
As suggested, look into POA and will whilst you can, apply for Attendance Allowance and generally keep tabs on him - there is no hard and fast rule.
Try and make sure he is washing and taking care of hygiene. That was one of the first things to go with mum and should have been an indicator.
Good luck
hiya jemma and welcome. my husband has vascular dementia and my experience of the memory clinic is the same but we have quite a new building that has rehab wards and other services. my understanding is they go a long for x amount of years and then have a step down. my husband is still going on the bus and can do most personal care. he can cook very well and im not allowed in his kitchen unless im cleaning up his mess. his memory is the probably the worst problem. i deal with things as they come along day by day. other than a will and poa, i dont worry about the future til it happens as i dont know what that will be. day at a time
I hope your mother and yourself are coping through all this. My grandad is of similar age, I will make sure we have his wishes and wants in place while he can still make some sort of decisions. I guess you take each day as it comes, and go from there. From what I've seen so far alot of the days can vary with this condition. Hearing from others is of huge help and comfort. Thank you
