MIL has always been an avid letter writer. It was her main mode of communication with out of state friends and family. She is now in the mid to end stage of dementia. When speaking with her she repeats herself constantly. We found out from some recipients of her letters that she also repeats whole sentences in her notes & letters. She also sends multiple letters to the same people, repeating her messages, almost word for word. She goes through a book of stamps every two weeks or less. We stopped buying rolls of stamps because she lost the first one the day after we purchased it. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting but none the less sad symptom of this disease.
She could just write something cheerful and sign with something patriotic but not revealing her real name.
Remember back when we could get a whole box of greeting cards, now these cards come in a smaller package [no longer boxed] and usually are located in the same rows as the individual greeting cards.
As for stamps, if Mom-in-law is using stamps that come on a strip row, make sure she knows on the back side of that strip are more stamps. I wonder how many of us forget to turn over the strip :P
I wouldn't disagree that it's a sad symptom of dementia, but fortunately it's a relatively harmless one.
I'm wondering if she would like to write letters for local Meals on Wheels delivery programs? My father occasionally gets cards and short letters from students who participate in reaching out to senior citizens. It doesn't really make a difference what's written - it's the thought that counts.
You know, at some point, these letters might bring back cherished memories of your mother-in-law. Even if they are repetitive, they express her thoughts, her desire to grasp onto some semblance of her formerly more cognitive life.