My mom has moderate to severe dementia. She can't follow a calendar but always wants to know what day of the week it is. Her sleep schedule is all over the place and she'll often get out of bed and come into the family room, look at the clock and ask me if it's (for example) 5 PM or 5 AM. Without except she'll ask me a half dozen times, "Are you SURE it's early evening and not early morning?" It drives me nuts but a lot of things do.
I was just curious because she is alone every day from about 1:30 til bedtime. That seems a long time to me but was just curious does she realize the time since she doesn’t seem to have a concept of days or months. She gets confused on whether it is summer or winter etc. I can’t stay all the time at the nursing home but feel bad for leaving her there those hours every day.
With my Mom, she lost the concept of time early in her Dementia journey. Her days just ran into each other. So I would say no but like Glad said its different for everyone. The brain is a funny thing.
Impossible to answer. There may be times she is perfectly aware and other times not at all. Dementia exhibits differently in different people, even differently n the same person from day to day, minute to minute.
Are you trying to fit her into a stage of the disease? The large majority of people will have symptoms across several of all the stages.
I am curious as to the stage. She is 92, had had dementia to some extent for about 7-8 years, had a slight stroke 2 years ago this coming dec and fell and broke hip and arm a year ago this past April. I have a home 5 hours away and have left it sitting so I can be here with her at nursing home. She is so social and Pampered I guess I should say that even the staff determined she needs someone around so through all the covid etc I have been with her half a day every day. I am trying to decide to sell my home unfortunately cause I can’t afford to keep it up and pay rent here like I have been. I am by no long shot of the imagination wishing her away but simply trying to guess a time line so I can best decide what to do. The expense I have had will change my future so I need to cut something but won’t leave her as my siblings seem to be able to do much easier than needed.
Heck...There are days that unless I look at the calendar I don't know the date! (especially since March or April!) Have you asked her what the day is? the time of day? the season? These are some of the questions in a MME that a doctor should be giving. I would say if there is a concern you are having you should look for a Neurologist or a Neuropsychologist and she should have a full exam. There are many things that can cause memory loss not all of them are some form of dementia. Medications, dehydration, UTI, stroke just to name a few.
But are you asking from a philosophical or a practical point of view?
I can’t stay all the time at the nursing home but feel bad for leaving her there those hours every day.
Are you trying to fit her into a stage of the disease? The large majority of people will have symptoms across several of all the stages.
Have you asked her what the day is? the time of day? the season?
These are some of the questions in a MME that a doctor should be giving.
I would say if there is a concern you are having you should look for a Neurologist or a Neuropsychologist and she should have a full exam.
There are many things that can cause memory loss not all of them are some form of dementia. Medications, dehydration, UTI, stroke just to name a few.