Worried about mum, 63, still forgetting things

[JoeyToughts]

I’ve posted before but wanted to post again, my mum has been a little forgetful for a while now, I’d say 6 months ago was when I noticed. She is still herself, loves clothes shopping and watching movies. But I have just had some alarm bells ring with certain stuff she does, such as forgetting a payment she made to me this morning to cover the cost of food we had last night. When I tell her things sometimes, it’s like she doesn’t listen to me fully, she only cares about talking about what she is doing and that’s actually annoyed me.

She has never been the best at maths or working things out but sometimes it’s a real struggle working finances out. She has also forgot to put sugar in my tea a couple of times, is this a sign?

It’s just the silly little things that worry me.

She doesn’t put things away in the wrong places, she has no problems with time keeping and telling what day it is and she doesn’t have any problems with speech and finding words… is this a good sign?

Does this all sound a little suspicious for dementia

 

[DeeCee7]

Hello @JoeyToughts I am pleased to see you are still looking out for your mum and being really caring about her wellbeing. I read through your previous post and it doesn’t sound to me like things have got any worse. In fact I am pleased to hear that she isn't putting things in the wrong place ( so just that isolated incident of the kettle in the fridge?) or issues with time, place and speech etc. So yes, it’s all good signs. As others posted, people of a certain age do become forgetful ( me very much included). The key is realising you have done something incorrectly!
Have you any experience of someone with dementia? Sometimes this can make us understandably worry.

 

[Kevinl]

Hello and welcome, I know it's rude to ask someone's age but roughly what age range are we talking?
I don't mean date of birth just a rough idea, in her 80's my mum had more capacity than my wife, as my wife got early onset AZ.
Age is just a number, and there can be other reasons why a loss of short term memory can happen.
Eating properly, loneliness, just plain getting bored being alone all day aren't good for the soul.
Were not for some brilliant neighbours I'd not be coping alone so well, they keep me busy, gives me a purpose in life since my wife passed away. K

 

[JoeyToughts]

Hello @JoeyToughts I am pleased to see you are still looking out for your mum and being really caring about her wellbeing. I read through your previous post and it doesn’t sound to me like things have got any worse. In fact I am pleased to hear that she isn't putting things in the wrong place ( so just that isolated incident of the kettle in the fridge?) or issues with time, place and speech etc. So yes, it’s all good signs. As others posted, people of a certain age do become forgetful ( me very much included). The key is realising you have done something incorrectly!
Have you any experience of someone with dementia? Sometimes this can make us understandably worry.

Hi @DeeCee7 thank you so much for your lovely reply, you’re correct things haven’t got worse, I don’t think, and the kettle in the fridge hasn’t happened again thankfully. Although tonight she was getting ready for bed and instead of handing me a bottle of water, she gave me a toilet roll she was about to put in her bathroom, when she did this she said “what am I doing, I’m going mad” and laughed and then said “I was meant to give you the water”. It’s mainly just the little silly things like this that ring alarm bells along with getting in a middle with finances and forgetting little bits here and there, although she always seems to realise her mistakes which is a relief to hear from yourself is a good sign.

I feel like I may be taking every mistake she makes as a sign of dementia, I lost my grandad on the 3rd of march 2023, so it’s nearly a year. He had end stage Parkinson’s and got pneumonia. Since he passed I worry more and more about losing someone else, especially my mum.

Would you say at 63 it’s normal to become a little forgetful?

I just want to say sorry for replying so late! But you have no idea how grateful for your reply, I get so anxious so your lovely reply helped so much.

 

[JoeyToughts]

Hello and welcome, I know it's rude to ask someone's age but roughly what age range are we talking?
I don't mean date of birth just a rough idea, in her 80's my mum had more capacity than my wife, as my wife got early onset AZ.
Age is just a number, and there can be other reasons why a loss of short term memory can happen.
Eating properly, loneliness, just plain getting bored being alone all day aren't good for the soul.
Were not for some brilliant neighbours I'd not be coping alone so well, they keep me busy, gives me a purpose in life since my wife passed away. K

Hello @Kevinl! Thanks for your reply, my mum is 63 and I’m wondering if this is an age that becoming a little forgetful could be normal?

I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your wife to early onset AZ it’s such a cruel disease, I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you, but I’m sure you have many lovely memories to look back on.

If you don’t mind me asking, when is it you realised something was up with your wife I.e symptoms etc.

I also want to say I hope you’re okay, sounds like you’ve had a rough time and I’m glad you have your neighbours, it’s so important to have people like this in life.