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She can discuss current news and remembers our shared childhood, but she can't remember what she had for lunch. She has trouble making decisions lest she be wrong. But she has a great sense of humor and is quick with funny remarks, asides, etc. What should I do?

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This type of cognitive decline is very common in people with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. My mom, age almost 97, has been sinking into dementia for the past few years. Best description or explanation (for me) of what's happening in her brain is that she can no longer form new memories (e.g., what she had for lunch) but stuff that has been in her brain for a long time (e.g., childhood memories) is still there. Although she's more and more confused, she still makes jokes sometimes. Sometimes she forgets how to walk; at some point, I assume, if the congestive heart failure doesn't get her first, she'll totally forget how to walk and eat.
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Reply to Rosered6
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I don't who this 82 year old woman is to you, but she obviously has signs of having dementia, so what you should do is make sure that she is safe in her environment and if you're not family, let her family know what you're observing, so they can take steps to make sure she is safe and looked after.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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