If your loved one doesn't remember what he ate today and he doesn't remember anything from yesterday, is that a sign of dementia?

Schizophrenia causes short and long term memory problems and also has a 2 times larger predisposition to dementia than folks without the disorder, according to Google.

Just in case, is he drinking a lot? That can certainly be a factor in short term memory loss, particularly what you ate the night before.

Julissa12, did I see your reply that Dad has schizophrenia?

I don't know if that carries any greater risk of getting dementia? Or any greater risk connected to long term anti-psychotic meds? Maybe someone will know.

What I do know is my SZ relative is always being asked about her memory by health professionals.

I notice her memory is, a bit faulty, at times. But I see more problems like she 'remembers' something the way she wanted it, rather than what happened. Also, if she had zero interest - will be zero memory.

How is his memory on topics he is very engaged & interested in?

Are there any other indicators?
Does he misuse words?
Does he "talk around" something if he can not find the right word to use.
Does he get lost going places he should know how to get to?
Does he dress inappropriately for the day or the time of day?
Does he dress properly? (shoes on the correct feet, undershirt under another shirt, shirt on right side out, on frontwards? things like that)
Has he stopped doing activities that he enjoyed previously?
Think back over the past year are there any things that you or other family members ignored that seemed odd or out of place?
Put all the little things to gether...Now do you have a cause for concern?
Get dad to a Neuropsychologist for testing. His PCP should be doing general cognitive testing as part of a physical but the MME's are not that reliable and it would mean comparing one done this year to the one done last and the PCP would refer you to a Neurologist or a Neuropsychologist in any case.
If the what he ate yesterday is only a 1 time thing I would not really worry.
If the person that came to the house yesterday was not of importance I would not worry. (was it a close person to him or was it the UPS guy that dropped off a package)

It may or may not indicate oncoming dementia. Did this come on suddenly? As others have suggested, have him checked for a UTI. Besides UTIs, there are many other causes of dementia like symptoms. Infections, med interactions, vitamin deficiencies, depression are common causes which may be reversed or treated.

Dementia is more than memory problems, many of which show up before memory issues. Does he seem confused? Is he making poor judgments? Is he having trouble finding the right words or making decisions? Is he having trouble shaving or brushing his teeth? Symptoms of dementia can be subtle and include many of these. Don't jump to conclusions. Make an appt with his PCP to have him screened for dementia.

Yes My Uncle has it and does the Excatly same thing

Is this a one time event? Your question sounds like it is.

Well, maybe not for forgetting what he ate--that can happen to anyone. But if he forgot most things from yesterday it could be. A lot of times this creeps up because everyone thinks that the initial worsening of memory in an older relative is 'normal'. (My family sure did!) People are very good at covering for when they forget things too, so it's hard to tell. As others note, he needs checked out, whether it's been something gradual or sudden. If there's a concern about a UTI and you want it looked at today call his doctor's office and leave an 'urgent' message with the callback service-they will likely send you to whatever lab is available for your dad to give a urine sample and the doctor will prescribe something if the test results come back positive. Or, you can take him to an urgent care center. A lot of these places will let your dad wait in the car until it's time to go back to a room if you're worried about covid exposure--you can call ahead and ask about that. You probably don't want to go to the local ER as the wait time may be long. I did use over the counter urinalysis strips for my mom, but the results were not consistent and in your case you will still need a prescription if it's positive, and most doctor's will not prescribe one for an over the counter test if it's the patient's first time-they will want a lab test.
Follow through with his physician no matter what. Let the physician know ahead of time about why you want to visit. With dementia, a lot of the time the person doesn't realize they are forgetting things. You will get nowhere trying to correct or remind him of things he's forgotten, and it will just frustrate you and upset him, and he may push back about going to the doctor.
If someone's not with your dad daily, you also may want to see if your dad is remembering to take any medications correctly. Look on his pill bottle(s) (make sure there aren't multiple half used bottles around) If he gets 90 pills at a time to take as 1-a-day, and his prescription was last filled in October, he hasn't been taking his meds consistently.
Best of luck!

What do you think?

Your father is lucky that you are concerned. If possible, maybe find a good time and talk with him about your concerns. He may be aware of lapses in memory but be afraid to acknowledge it.

As for whether it's a sign of dementia, there are a number of reasons for short term memory loss that don't include dementia. Questions you might consider could include: What kinds of health issues does he have? For example, if he has sleep apnea, it is known to cause short term memory problems if not treated. Are there other changes in his behavior? Has he undergone a major life event that could be causing him stress? Did he start a new medication? Ultimately though, a doctor is the best person to determine what's going on with your father.

And it would be nice to hear what you discover. Good luck as you go forward.

If it turns out to not be a UTI, if at all possible BEFORE he goes in to see the doctor and has a cognitive exam: encourage him to assign a PoA who will act in his best interests as he continues to decline. Once he has a diagnosis in his records he may not legally be able to create this very important paperwork (depending on the laws of his state).

Once we discovered my MIL had memory issues and wasn't remembering to eat, she needed to go into AL. Your dad will not be able to live independently anymore if he has short-term memory impairment. He won't remember to take his medicine, won't remember how to work appliances that he's familiar with (like a microwave), won't be able to manage his bills or banking.

Hopefully it's only a UTI, but if it's not you and your family need to help encourage him to protect himself with the proper legal documents. If he never assigns a PoA then the only other way to get him the help he will need will be through pursuing guardianship through the courts. This is time-consuming and can be expensive, especially if other family members fight over this. If a family member doesn't secure guardianship then the only other option is for the county to get it. No decisions for him can be made (when he's no longer able to make them himself) without someone having the legal authority.

Also, do you know what his financial condition is? In many states Medicaid (if he needs it) does NOT pay for AL, only LTC and MC. It may also be helpful to get him to an elder law attorney/estate planner who knows Medicaid, as many many elders eventually require its help to pay for care. He can delay or disqualify himself if he (or his family) is not careful about managing his assets -- my state has a 5-year "look back" period on the application. I wish you much success in figuring out his health and needs going forward, and peace in your heart whatever the diagnosis.

As beatty stated,, UTI's is the the easiest to detect... and they mess up the brain fast.. now they have over the counter uti tests,... like pregnancy tests.. they may not detect everything, but just go to CVS and buy a pack.. 3 for $10.00... put it to your pee stream.. wait, and see if comes out positive...
call the cvs or your local pharmacy and ask if they have it and how accurate they are... and you LO doesn't have to go anywhere to get that test. bring it to them.

so do call your local pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist...

It's a short term memory problem.

I wouldn't just assume dementia. Best to get a full health assessment. Common issues can be UTIs or other infections causing confusion. Or vitamin deficiencies may be effecting memory. Can be many things.

If nothing found, he may need a full neuro exam to look at all his thinking skills, his short term memory + working memory, complex thinking & planning.

One step at a time.