My mum is 82 and has had a number of health concerns over the last 9-months, including emergency bowel surgery last October, diagnosis of osteoporosis and an unexplained fall which required additional hospital stay last month.
She has been having communication difficulties, which 1st came on around late March and has varied in severity. She seems to be better sometimes than others. Recently she became very confused leading to delirium and this turned out to be a UTI. Antibiotics for this finished a week ago but struggling to find words, displaying some odd behaviour at times, and this is similar to what she has experienced off and on for last few months. However, after she came back from hospital a couple of weeks ago she had a few days where she was talking etc all fine, then confusion and incontinence (this was UTI), better for a few days, now back to yes / no answers.
Clearly we are keen to get to the bottom of whether this is linked to medication, on going health (e.g. recurrent UTI's that she is unaware of) or whether it is some form of dementia - however prior to March she was very switched on so does seem this has come on relatively quickly.
These are challenging times and my dad has been advised that any testing or diagnosis is currently on hold however we really are hoping there is something that can be done to start helping both mum and dad.
I have received some literature about helping people with communication problems through the national helpline however feel it is the diagnosis work that we urgently need. There was a suggestion this could be linked to depression (undiagnosed) as she has been limited mobility wise die to back pain since February.
Any advice would be very welcome, it's breaking my heart to see dad getting so positive when she is good, then worrying again when she isn't and so limited by this blooming lockdown as to how I can help.
She has been having communication difficulties, which 1st came on around late March and has varied in severity. She seems to be better sometimes than others. Recently she became very confused leading to delirium and this turned out to be a UTI. Antibiotics for this finished a week ago but struggling to find words, displaying some odd behaviour at times, and this is similar to what she has experienced off and on for last few months. However, after she came back from hospital a couple of weeks ago she had a few days where she was talking etc all fine, then confusion and incontinence (this was UTI), better for a few days, now back to yes / no answers.
Clearly we are keen to get to the bottom of whether this is linked to medication, on going health (e.g. recurrent UTI's that she is unaware of) or whether it is some form of dementia - however prior to March she was very switched on so does seem this has come on relatively quickly.
These are challenging times and my dad has been advised that any testing or diagnosis is currently on hold however we really are hoping there is something that can be done to start helping both mum and dad.
I have received some literature about helping people with communication problems through the national helpline however feel it is the diagnosis work that we urgently need. There was a suggestion this could be linked to depression (undiagnosed) as she has been limited mobility wise die to back pain since February.
Any advice would be very welcome, it's breaking my heart to see dad getting so positive when she is good, then worrying again when she isn't and so limited by this blooming lockdown as to how I can help.
