Uptown, curious what kind of dementia signs are you seeing? Does it happen more so during certain times of the day? Is it daily? How is she when in the office or talking business?
The past year, between politics and covid, our brains are on overload. Have you noticed any covid fear on her part or concerns regarding the country?
If it is an occasional forgetting of a name, welcome to the club. My sig-other and I [mid-70's] are lucky to remember our own names :P The way I look at it, by the time we reach a certain age the file drawers in our brain are full.... thus finding an answer takes longer and some answers has been misfiled.
As mentioned by other posters, have her see her primary doctor. Have a blood test done to see if she is low on any vitamins, have a Urinary Tract Infection test, etc.
I am reading this and get the impression you may think we are Professionals. Sorry, we are Caregivers sharing our experiences and helping each other deal with caring for a LO.
In my Dads family the signs of Alzheimers started in their mid 70s. There are members on this site that LOs are in their 60s showing signs of a Dementia even younger. As Geaton said, you may have to tell your GF a little white lie to get her to see a Dr. If she tries to hurt herself or she hits someone else, then u call 911 and have her taken for a 72 hr. Physic evaluation. Its called the "Bakers Act".
Your GF needs labs to rule out anything physical is going on. If not, then she will need a Neurologist to determine if its a Dementia and what type. Its important to know what type for medication purposes.
If at anytime she says anything that might indicate self harm or harm to others call 911 and ask for transport to the hospital. Explain to the dispatcher what is going on so responders will be prepared.
Has she been checked for a UTI or thyroid condition? She is fairly young to be having "dementia"-like symptoms but the 2 illnesses mentioned can mimic those memory impairment issues, and they are treatable.
Often people on this forum use "therapeutic fibs" to get their LOs to see doctors, like, "our business insurance company now requires it". If you (or her girlfriend) can accompany her to doc for UTI/thryoid check this companion can secretly pass the staff a pre-written note outlining the further cognitive concern and to give her a cognitive test. They are happy to do this and I did this with my MIL so I know they will accommodate this request.
Just FYI anyone who is being told they are having memory issues will feel terrified. It is not just a matter of "telling" someone. She may also have a condition called anosognosia, which is when the person is unaware of their condition and unable to accept it (and they NEVER accept it). If you have a business together (as i have with my husband for 38 years) this is good leverage for you to diplomatically use to move her towards medical diagnosis. There will be a cascade of problems if she does have dementia or ALZ and you don't see an elder law attorney/estate planner to get all your legal documents in place. Just read around on this forum to learn how bad it can easily get. I wish you much wisdom as you try to help her and preserve your business.
The past year, between politics and covid, our brains are on overload. Have you noticed any covid fear on her part or concerns regarding the country?
If it is an occasional forgetting of a name, welcome to the club. My sig-other and I [mid-70's] are lucky to remember our own names :P The way I look at it, by the time we reach a certain age the file drawers in our brain are full.... thus finding an answer takes longer and some answers has been misfiled.
As mentioned by other posters, have her see her primary doctor. Have a blood test done to see if she is low on any vitamins, have a Urinary Tract Infection test, etc.
In my Dads family the signs of Alzheimers started in their mid 70s. There are members on this site that LOs are in their 60s showing signs of a Dementia even younger. As Geaton said, you may have to tell your GF a little white lie to get her to see a Dr. If she tries to hurt herself or she hits someone else, then u call 911 and have her taken for a 72 hr. Physic evaluation. Its called the "Bakers Act".
Your GF needs labs to rule out anything physical is going on. If not, then she will need a Neurologist to determine if its a Dementia and what type. Its important to know what type for medication purposes.
Often people on this forum use "therapeutic fibs" to get their LOs to see doctors, like, "our business insurance company now requires it". If you (or her girlfriend) can accompany her to doc for UTI/thryoid check this companion can secretly pass the staff a pre-written note outlining the further cognitive concern and to give her a cognitive test. They are happy to do this and I did this with my MIL so I know they will accommodate this request.
Just FYI anyone who is being told they are having memory issues will feel terrified. It is not just a matter of "telling" someone. She may also have a condition called anosognosia, which is when the person is unaware of their condition and unable to accept it (and they NEVER accept it). If you have a business together (as i have with my husband for 38 years) this is good leverage for you to diplomatically use to move her towards medical diagnosis. There will be a cascade of problems if she does have dementia or ALZ and you don't see an elder law attorney/estate planner to get all your legal documents in place. Just read around on this forum to learn how bad it can easily get. I wish you much wisdom as you try to help her and preserve your business.