Vascular dementia

[Eddiep]

My mum was diagnosed with VD in April , the consultant has discharged her as there is no medication. Social services are in the process of doing an assessment but it’s taking forever. Over the past 2 weeks she has got much worse she can not remember anything you tell her with seconds it’s gone. She gets so worked up that I’m worried she will have a heart attack.
She lives with her sister who has late stages of dementia and really needs to go into a home but my mum will not let her go. Social worker will not take charge and it’s all getting out of hand.

 

[lemonbalm]

Hello @Eddiep

Although there is no medication which directly helps with vascular dementia, there is medication which can help with symptoms such as agitation. An anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication may help your mum so is worth asking the GP about. My mum has late stage vascular dementia and has often been very agitated, aggressive and sometimes violent, Regular reviews of medication have helped over the years.

It's always worth checking for urine infections for any sudden change and also checking that your mum is taking in enough fluids in hot weather, as both infections and dehydration can have a marked effect on confusion.

I have no experience of Social Services but others will not doubt be along with advice about that.

 

[Sarasa]

Hi @Eddiep, it sounds like you need to go back to social services and flag this up as an emergency. It sounds like your mother has taken another step down with her dementia, and is no longer safe to look after either herself or her sister. Do you have power of attorney for your mum and your aunt or does someone else have it? If you do and your aunt would be self-funding you could start the process of finding her a home yourself.

 

[Eddiep]

Hi @Eddiep, it sounds like you need to go back to social services and flag this up as an emergency. It sounds like your mother has taken another step down with her dementia, and is no longer safe to look after either herself or her sister. Do you have power of attorney for your mum and your aunt or does someone else have it? If you do and your aunt would be self-funding you could start the process of finding her a home yourself.

Yes I have power of attorney for my mum but no one has it for my mums sister but she is not self funding.

 

[Eddiep]

Hello @Eddiep

Although there is no medication which directly helps with vascular dementia, there is medication which can help with symptoms such as agitation. An anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication may help your mum so is worth asking the GP about. My mum has late stage vascular dementia and has often been very agitated, aggressive and sometimes violent, Regular reviews of medication have helped over the years.

It's always worth checking for urine infections for any sudden change and also checking that your mum is taking in enough fluids in hot weather, as both infections and dehydration can have a marked effect on confusion.

I have no experience of Social Services but others will not doubt be along with advice about that.

Thanks I will look into that

 

[Sarasa]

Hmm it sounds like you have two separate but inter-connecting problems here, your aunt's dementia, your mum's dementia and the way they impact on each other.
Maybe it would be a good idea to talk to someone at the support line, as this does sound rather complicated. They can be contacted at Dementia Connect support line: 0333 150 3456, or email dementia.connect@alzheimers.org.uk

 

[Shedrech]

hi @Eddiep
I'm shocked that the SW will not step in to support your aunt ... it's really not satisfactory for either your aunt or your mum to be living alone together

personally I'd contact the LA Adult Services again and say that your aunt's situation needs urgent re-assessment as she is a 'vulnerable adult' who is 'at risk of harm and neglect' because her carer now has a dementia diagnosis so is no longer able to provide the care she needs and whose behaviour is unpredictable to causing concerns for them both ... et them know that you are worried that this is a 'safeguarding issue' and the LA have the 'duty of care' to ensure that your aunt's care fits her care needs ... suggest a 'best interests' meeting is called as you believe that your aunt now needs residential care

highlighting your aunt's predicament might make the LA realise how worrying it is that the 2 women are together and neither is having their needs appropriately met

 

[Eddiep]

The main problem is my mum, one minute she says it’s time for her sister to go into a home then the next minute she changes her mind. Also the SW doesn’t really believe me when I tell her how bad my mum is she feels that because she can wash, dress and function she is ok.
I have said to consultants and SW that it is a safeguarding risk but I either get told the consultant can’t do anything and the service just thinks I’m dramatic!

 

[jennifer1967]

vascular dementia is not really understood by professionals in my experience. they seem to stereotype dementia as alzheimers but vascular is different as its not reliant on memory loss totally but reasoning and logic and sequencing. my husband can wash, dress even cook but hes not ok as i have to do his meds and some washing he cant get to. i have had to explain it numerous times to SW and mental health nurse and consultant of OPMH who should know better. im my experience there seems a reluctance for any agency to take responsibility for doing something so its a game of ping pong between the different agencies going back and forwards.

 

[Sarasa]

My mother has vascular dementia, and in the early days I had a problem getting the GP to see that things weren't right as mum could pass the mini-memory test with ease. What was awry was her logic, and when the GP saw that things gradually started to move. Social Services weren't interested in helping my mother either as at the time she could just about manage to look after herself. The fact she kept on calling the police because she thought the neighbours were stealing from her and went off down the pub drinking with random strangers didn't seem to worry them too much. In the end I took matters into my own hands and moved her into care before a crisis happened.
I think the thing to do is to keep a diary of everything that happens and then keep on sending it to social services and your mother's and aunt's GP until someone takes notice. The other solution is to wait for a crisis and hope it isn't too dire a one.

 

[jennifer1967]

my husband scored better in his memory test this year than the year before and has vascular dementia

 

[Eddiep]

vascular dementia is not really understood by professionals in my experience. they seem to stereotype dementia as alzheimers but vascular is different as its not reliant on memory loss totally but reasoning and logic and sequencing. my husband can wash, dress even cook but hes not ok as i have to do his meds and some washing he cant get to. i have had to explain it numerous times to SW and mental health nurse and consultant of OPMH who should know better. im my experience there seems a reluctance for any agency to take responsibility for doing something so its a game of ping pong between the different agencies going back and forwards.

That does make sense as it’s what I’m finding with my mum. It amazes me that professional can be in a job that requires care but don’t actually give a damn.

 

[Eddiep]

My mother has vascular dementia, and in the early days I had a problem getting the GP to see that things weren't right as mum could pass the mini-memory test with ease. What was awry was her logic, and when the GP saw that things gradually started to move. Social Services weren't interested in helping my mother either as at the time she could just about manage to look after herself. The fact she kept on calling the police because she thought the neighbours were stealing from her and went off down the pub drinking with random strangers didn't seem to worry them too much. In the end I took matters into my own hands and moved her into care before a crisis happened.
I think the thing to do is to keep a diary of everything that happens and then keep on sending it to social services and your mother's and aunt's GP until someone takes notice. The other solution is to wait for a crisis and hope it isn't too dire

 

[Eddiep]

It’s sad that it has to wait for something bad to happen before they will start to care and do their job.

 

[maryjoan]

That does make sense as it’s what I’m finding with my mum. It amazes me that professional can be in a job that requires care but don’t actually give a damn.

You have been given some excellent advice here on what points to raise to social services. Phone them again and raise your points - if they appear not to be taking any notice, ask for the name of the Director of Social Services and the name of the person you are speaking to, and tell them that you will be writing a hard copy letter to the Director of Social Services and will mention their name, and will also be sending another copy to the local TV / Radio station to highlight the plight of these two very vulnerable ladies. You don't have to send the letter to the media, but often the threat of so doing will shake them up a bit - the person you are speaking to might well ask if you are threatening them - and just say, not you personally, but the institution you represent.