Whether a person has dementia or not is for her doctors to determine, beginning with her PCP. Dementia symptoms are the most confounding behaviors a caregiver will ever see. What the heck's going on with my wife? Although all caregiving experiences are different, I can say that “I've been there, done that”! I lost my wife of 52 years three yrs ago. From normal behavior to bewildering behavior can be symptomatic of dementia. Constantly asking the same question can be a dementia symptom. So if you suspect dementia, make an appt with her dr and have him/her administer a brief dementia screening test. If the test indicates dementia, she will be referred to a neurologist for further testing. Getting an early diagnosis is critical to determine if the dementia is treatable or not. All dementias are not Alzheimer's.
Sadly, there is no one 'this size fits all' when it comes to dementia. One day your LO is almost themselves--talking and acting normally. The next day they're running down a busy street with no pants on.
When my grandpa was slowly sinking with dementia, grandma never knew from day to day what he was going to do--she spent a LOT of time chasing him down and keeping him safe. He was a wanderer--and the little houses on their street were pretty much all the same floor plan, so he was always wandering into the wrong house. Luckily--everyone understood what was going on and they'd return him home---but poor Grandma!
My mom is now rapidly sliding into dementia--she has not been tested, and I suspect she could fake a test, but not for long. She cannot keep a train of thought and she cannot stay 'on topic'. It's baffling and annoying for all of us.
And yes, she repeats herself---if you stay to visit more than 15 minutes you will begin to get the same story over and over.
The 'rules' of dementia are that there are NO rules. It just is what it is.
When my grandpa was slowly sinking with dementia, grandma never knew from day to day what he was going to do--she spent a LOT of time chasing him down and keeping him safe. He was a wanderer--and the little houses on their street were pretty much all the same floor plan, so he was always wandering into the wrong house. Luckily--everyone understood what was going on and they'd return him home---but poor Grandma!
My mom is now rapidly sliding into dementia--she has not been tested, and I suspect she could fake a test, but not for long. She cannot keep a train of thought and she cannot stay 'on topic'. It's baffling and annoying for all of us.
And yes, she repeats herself---if you stay to visit more than 15 minutes you will begin to get the same story over and over.
The 'rules' of dementia are that there are NO rules. It just is what it is.