My mom can't remember from one second to the next but can play complicated care games?

Zenith, it is great that she can still play cards and get enjoyment from it. Keep it going for as long as you can.

Hi, NYDaughterInLaw - we were playing Gin and Rummy, and she could make the most complicated sets/runs - as long as I reminded her at the beginning of the game what the object was. She loves playing cards and it makes her much less agitated.

My FIL has had every test and nothing shows up as a reason for his cognition being as poor as it is. He never played games like your mom does. Be glad that your mom still plays cards and at a high level at that! She is fortunate. She has not been robbed of everything. Bridge? Hearts? And do you play?

Yes, it is usual. Different parts of the brain control different kinds of thinking. Impairments reflect what specific areas of the brain are damaged by the dementia.

Zenithsmom, my Dad was having trouble remembering things, but if one asked him what was the weather around the country, he could give an up-to-the minute report from what he saw a few minutes ago on the TV. And he still had his sense of humor for puns.

No expert here, but I don't think it's that unusual. My Dad has no short term memory but can still find the grocery store, hardware, drug store and post office which are all within two miles and he's been going to all these places for 50 years. What day is it, nope.

I visit an elderly fellow in a nursing home who clearly has moderate dementia, no verbal skills at all left and all the other problems of dementia, but he loves to play checkers and is still damn good at it. His biggest joy in life is when he beats me. Maybe the long term memory hanging on.........