Has anyone experienced someone they care for reverting back to their "first" language?

I have not had this experience exactly but my DH aunt, 96, with dementia had a French/English speaking mother and a German/English speaking father. She is fluent in neither French nor German but has little phrases she will say in Each language.
She at one time would try to teach me these phrases. A few years ago, I started recording her on my cell phone trying to teach me. This usually just ended in us laughing and having a good time over how hopeless it was to teach me.
As recently as Thanksgiving we had a few minutes of our “class’” that I recorded. Most days she doesn’t speak so it is a real treat to hear her today. If I were you I would record her and one day you may find someone to interpret and for sure you will enjoy listening to her.
I realize this doesn’t solve your problem but you could play it back for your mama and see if she could interpret. My aunt enjoyed listening to herself tell me the stories I recorded.

My mother has started doing this too in the last few months, as her dementia has progressed. We emigrated to the United States from Poland 53 years ago. We spoke English almost exclusively at home since then. She now frequently uses Polish words and phrases, which is fine with me because I do understand it, but presents a problem with her aides! It makes sense since they are going back in time to when they were younger.

Just today, I was watching an old video of myself interacting with my grandmother, and I have an Italian dictionary in my hand in the video, trying to see if I can figure out what she's saying. I suspect she was, at times, using Italian words learned in her childhood, but I never confirmed that. She was raised by immigrants in the U.S. I think it's possible that dementia sufferers revert to, or go in and out of, the language of their childhood.

Yes this happens. I was told about this when I started working in healthcare. I live in a multicultural place & many elders revert back to their first language as their shorter term memory fades they rely more & more on their long term memory.

I would advise making yourself a list of common words & a picture booklet too, for common things eg toilet, bath, tissue, drinks, food, pillow. Add a hug too 🤗😍

Yes. This was a thing I remember being talked about in my grandparent's generation since most of them had grown up speaking German in the home. And there were at least two people in my mom's nursing home who hand emigrated from the Netherlands after the war and reverted to Dutch.

My 100-yr old Aunt (who just passed away) began speaking only Italian to the aids in the rehab facility. She spoke perfect English her whole life but as the daughter 2 Italian immigrants, Italian was her first language when she entered Kindergarten, and her mother never spoke English so she spoke Italian to her Mother her whole life, but not since she passed, which was a few decades. We think Gramma was talking to her.

When my father was dying of CHF he started speaking to my mom in Hungarian and sometimes German. He was fluent in both languages as well as English.

Just like short-term you lose long-term over time. I think those who have Dementia go back in time as they lose long-term memory. So they revert to their original language. Mom had two women in her facility. One spoke Spanish and the other Italian.

CuteTC - Oh, yes! Happening to my 98 yo MIL. She's never been dx with dementia (refuses any tests) but when she's stressed or has the beginnings of a UTI, everything is in German. Funny, not so funny, thing is, most conversations include English and German. She does not realize she is doing this. Keeps us on our toes!

I studied German. One of my professor friends taught at a small university in a rural area. He would send his advanced students to area nursing homes to talk with or interpret for the seniors. He said people reverted to their first language.

Absolutely! My mother was a language fanatic - mother tongue Dutch, excellent English, good German and French, and as empty-nester went back to college to get BA in Greek and Latin. In the last months of her struggle with dementia (she passed away 2 weeks ago), only Dutch remained. We all kept speaking to her in our various languages inc caretakers, but also in music -- classical music sometimes seems to bring back some English (like a little pilot light in the brain), even though her favorites were German language liederen (think Schubert etc). The brain works in wonderous ways.. and we all do what we can to keep communication lines open

My very smart professor brother studied German in college and learned to speak it fluently about forty years ago. I wonder how much he understands today since he retains so much in his memory what he had learned?

Yes, this is quite common.

Yes, I posted a question regarding this. My mother is 99 and in a MC. Has reverted to her native language (French) and has forgotten her English. I have made boards with simple word translations for the staff but even when they try to speak to her in French, her attention span is zero. She gets angry at night when they change her for bed and she calls them all kinds of names so it’s a good thing they don’t understand. I go see her every day and we speak French, that’s the only time she has some sort of communication

I have witnessed this reversion to native language in 2 retired Hispanic teachers whose first language was Spanish. As the Dementia progressed, it became necessary to have an interpretor present when the Doctor was asking questions or giving information, as both were answering questions, speaking in Spanish. I would say this is not an uncommon experience in Texas! May I add that both of these very educated women spoke English flawlessly during their years of teaching?

My husband died from a brain tumor. He had to have surgery for something else and developed a very bad infection and a high fever. During that time he started to hallucinate and talk in gibberish. I was extremely worried, but his neurosurgeon assured me the fever had “exposed” his brain tumor. In other words, his brain had been compensating for his tumor by using other parts of the brain to function and the fever was making it unable to cope. After he was recovered he regained normal function. At that time his doctor told me that people with tumors or other brain issues will often revert to their native language as well because their brain can no longer sort out the secondary language. Your mom’s progressing dementia must be having that same effect.

I haven't had this experience, though it makes sense. What immediately jumped to my mind, however, is how hard it is to have a conversation now with my monolingual mother, who has advanced Parkinson's. She has lucid minutes, and I really want to catch them, but not only are they hard to hear, but she normally can't remember what she said (lucid or detached from reality) even moments after she said it.

On one hand, the added difficulty of a language I didn't understand would be so stressful for both of us. On the other, when someone can't remember what they've said from one moment to the next, honestly you might not be able to have enough context even if she spoke only in English (based on my family's experiences recently).

Important things, my mom will come back to them eventually. I guess I'm arguing for patience and very slow, fragmented conversations for both us? And some grace for not understanding, regardless of the language.

Oh, one more thing! I remember reading some research a few years ago that bilingualism and multilingualism may stave off dementia. I hope I'm not in any way diminishing the challenge for you and her, but her bilingualism is now both a communication problem but also may have slowed her cognitive decline.

There are several translation apps for your phone. You may find them useful communicating with your mom.

They translate to english what she says & translate to german your words.

This does often happen. With dementia the long term memory often kicks in when short memory is mostly absent. I would get the translation app that people are suggesting. The friend that I help was born in Germany just before the war broke out. She started speaking more German as well. I understand some words-enough for what I needed to do. Unfortunately, since Hospice has started providing care, it usually means that her health has taken a severe decline. It’s a tough time for you. Prayers helped me during her finally weeks. Sending peace and hugs.

Yes. A resident in the assisted living where my mom was had reverted to speaking Danish. She could apparently understand a little English, but could no longer speak it. Her daughter told us her mom hadn't spoken much Danish in her adult life, since moving to the US. It was a difficult situation for her to not be understood. She carried around a huge stuffed toy giraffe and talked to it all day long. She was so sweet. I'm not sure if they tried any sort of translation app to understand her. I didn't witness any.

I have no experience with this. However, if you have a local college, or even a high school, that offers German courses, this would be a great opportunity for a student to come in and help you translate, and maybe even write a paper on the subject!

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31381516/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2976058/

Perhaps have your loved one speak into a translation program?

Absolutely! My father reverted back to the Spanish language he learned as a child growing up on Catalina Island. Fortunately, the care unit he was in had a Spanish speaking employee. They got along like old friends! And no, none of us spoke the language. He would tell his aide to tell us something! It was crazy!

My Grandmother ( died in 2968. I am 81 ) spoke English and some "Luxemburger" her parents' language from near Orange City, Iowa.
When she was pretty well into dementia she sang little songs in French, because in Belgium next door from her parents home Flemish and French were bilingual and this linguistic heritage was hesrs. Tres interresant?

It’s very very common. This is why here some of the Associations/ Clubs for migrants run their own Aged Care facilities, or keep an idea of which mainstream facilities have staff with various language skills. For more recent migrants, it’s common for language speakers without qualifications to be working as cleaners etc. They get called in when essential, or put on jobs that mean they are in contact with residents who have the same language.

Where I am, my first port of call would be to find a Club for that culture, even if you do it by phone. I suggested this to a previous poster, also in Oz, who followed through and found a Finnish Association she didn't know existed!

I have a friend whose mom reverted back to her first language, she was Ghanaian able to speak the Ashanti language, she got dementia and lost her memory, it affected her speech, she started speaking different languages. Anytime her children would ask her something, she would answer in Fante language. When I spoke to her, she replied to me in Fante but didn't see any issue with it.

Oh yes! I see this all the time with stroke patients. It is a neurological phenomenon and not necessarily diagnostic of stroke, but highly suspect when there is a sudden or accelerated loss of function. Get Mom checked by a neurologist for possible stroke.

I can sooo relate to that! My mother speaks often in Hungarian, often talking to herself very quietly. It is indeed frustrating as we want so desperately to maintain communication. I have come to realize that ultimately it is just part of the progressive losses that come with dementia. It helps to focus on nonverbal communication like hugs and holding her hand.

Very familiar with this. Can help with language, know it well.

In answer to this. I could meet if you live not too far away. I am a native speaking German. and worked with ti for many years. Let me know and I would try and help. Can write down phrases but then how would you read it and pronounce .
This is the reason I tought my children the language.
Waiting to hear from you.
Gerda