Mom is on memory drugs but it seems she just hit the next degree of severity. What can I expect?

It is so hard to see our loved ones decline. No wonder so many of us try to stay in denial as long as we can. But it is good to recognize when another level of care is needed.

I agree with Jessie that it would be good to have a general check-up, in case anything treatable is contributing to this decline.

Most of us want to know what to expect next, but it is seldom as easy as looking it up on a chart. For ALZ there is a recognizable pattern. Look up the stages of Alzheimer's for a general overview. Not every individual with ALZ fits that pattern exactly. And other kinds of dementia have their own patterns which are often even less predictable. For example, wandering behavior is common in some kinds of dementia but rare in others. In Parkinson's with Dementia or Lewy Body Dementia it is unusual to lose person recognition.

If you know the type of dementia your mother has you can do a little reading about its progression. Just be aware that each case is unique -- and it is common to have more than one kind of dementia.

If she forgot the fire department was there, she is probably in a moderate or later stage. Something that significant should have registered strongly even with dementia. I agree it is time for full-time care. I know it's hard. I'm glad that she has family to watch out for her. I would let her doctor know and have him check her blood and urine to see if anything could be contributing to a faster decline. The group is here to listen. Many of us have been through what you are going through.

Has she been evaluated? What do her docs say about what level of care she needs?