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Can someone give me s way that I can find out if my mom either is developing or has dementia. The main problem with my mom who is 67 is that she feels that my brothers EX wife is coming into the house. She brought a new alarm system, she feels that there are cameras on the house, she changed her locks on the doors, she covers the alarm system with a towel so that no one can see her putting in the code. Shes thinks that it's my brothers EX wife because she use to live at my moms home. They both don't like each other. Also my mom seems to hum alot more, well she kinda always hummed but now since I'm watching her close I've noticed she hums a lot. Now, my mom is still working at her job and has been there for over 8 years since she retired. She cleans, cooks, drives, associates with family and friends, and is very active. She's has diabetes, and its been like that for years. She doesent eat the healthiest, but she recently had a good doctor report. Am i over anilizing this situation? Because my mom (my good friend) is now seeing changes in me. She sees me asking her questions left & right about her seeing things in the house and I think it's making her sad. She wants me to believe her, but no way is there someone coming in the house. I Wonder if it's stress she's going threw. I've been trying to find s way to find her doctor without her knowing, but wow, finding her doctor will be a big test. Dos my mom have dementia?

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Rich, you posted this before.. read those answers.
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sounds more like paranoia.
but I'm not a doctor
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@pamstegma I know and yes it was very helpful, but during that time I was in such panic and I had to get my nerves together. Now I'm kinda just sitting back and watching calmly at my moms. I know going on the Internet and looking for symptoms can make d person crazy. It had me thinking my moms was going to die. Well, I'm writing this again to see if I could get a clearer understanding of dementia.
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Rich, there are many different kinds of dementia. Your mom needs to be seen by a doctor. Glad you've calmed yourself.
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@Babalou Ok right now, she belive's she's fine. She gets upset when I question her ability to think. So asking her about doctors just annoys her. I'm starting to think that she thinks that I'm testing her intelligence. I'm gonna start buying coconut oil. How do people with mental illness realize that they need to see a doctor? She must know that something's weird because she only tells me. She won't tell my brother. This is so crazy......
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Stop trying to "test" her. Observe her, yes, but lay off all the questioning. If she does have dementia or some other cognitive problem other symptoms will show themselves.

If she regularly sees a doctor about her diabetes, perhaps you could send your concerns before her next appointment. Isn't her doctor's name on her prescriptions?

Now that she has a security system, is she still worried about her exDIL?

I have never heard of humming as a sign of dementia. And if she has always been a hummer I don't think I'd worry about that as a symptom.
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I feel similar about Our Mother 91. I've written Dr. And suggested anti depressants and to see Neurologist. But she won't put me on Heapa.
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It would drive me nuts to have my child stare at me, question me and closely observe me with the objective of deciding if I'm developing dementia. Short answer, YES, I think you are over analyzing the things you think you see.

Maybe she's putting on an act for you. I think if you live with her, that is if you are over the age of majority (over 18), that you need to find other living arrangements. You also need to find other things to focus on that have nothing to do with your mother.

I have to ask, is she humming a happy tune or is it just aimless annoying noise? She might be a mite paranoid about the security code, but on the other hand, she works, she seems happy, she has friends and a social life. She seems normal in every other way for a 67 year old female.
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Quick update. Ok tonight was weird. Tonight my mom told me to come down stairs and when I got down there in the kitchen, the knob handle in the sink was broke off. Wow lol...Again even that's weird to me, but she again belive's some one was in the house and I was here all day. I heard nothing. She's so paranoid, but she said she's not scared. I bought some coconut oil, gotta start taken it to see if it helps. Thanks again & again for everything you told. Thank you everyone
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Coconut oil isn't going to help whatever is going on with your mom. She could have a mental illness that is totally unrelated to dementia. As jeannegibbs has suggested, you can let her regular doctor know about her paranoia and then let him take it from there.

If her behavior continues to get worse, at some point, you may need to see if you can convince her to talk to someone about her fears and let that person assess her mental state. I don't think her behavior is normal (as far as the paranoia goes), but I have no idea what is causing that. With seniors, something as simple as a urinary tract infection can cause dementia-like behavior. I'm not sure that would be the case in someone your mom's age.
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@txcamper btw she hums happy tunes. Thanks
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