"Confusion" is one of those very general medical symptoms that can be caused by many problems:
- UTI - dehydration - vitamin deficiency - diabetes - high blood pressure - low O2 - stroke - tumor
(not a complete list).
Since the info about your 94-yr Mom you provided does not include dementia, I would take her to the doctor to at least discount a UTI, which are very common in elderly women and often have no other symptoms other than a change in cognition.
When other, treatable, issues are discounted, then she can more accurately be tested for cognition and memory impairment.
I agree with your list. We have made two serious trips to the ER and it was vitamin deficiencies, dehydration, dropped sodium and low levels of iron and several others. Surprised me and I was relieved and now I see signs quickly and we head to ER. The hospital mentioned elderly and in my moms case being a cancer survivor as well.
Yes, play along with it. In the long run of things it doesn’t really matter. My friend’s mother “Teresa” thought my friend “Ginger” was her mother. That’s interesting because Teresa never really knew her mother, who died when she was a baby. Teresa was raised by an aunt. So when she thought Ginger was her own mother, we think Teresa identified the word “mother” with Ginger because she was Ginger’s mother and the word got mixed up in her brain so that all she knew was that the word was somehow connected to Ginger. But she no longer knew Ginger was her own daughter.
Yes, dementia will often make a person forget the face of a loved one or cause her to think you're someone else. My mother would introduce me as her mother ever since she was first diagnosed with dementia....I was her daughter. This lapse in memory with mom thinking you were her sister today will likely come and go. She may not have that confusion again ever, or it could happen again tomorrow. Dementia symptoms are not linear....they change constantly and are all over the place. Good days when she's lucid will pop up just as often as bad days when she's almost incoherent.
I suggest you read this 33 booklet which is a free download. It has THE best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia. The reviews for her books are phenomenal b/c they are written in plain English & very easy to read/understand. Her writings have been VERY helpful for me.
The full copy of her book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Thoughtful-Dementia-Care-Understanding-Experience/dp/B09WN439CC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468364&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-2
It could be but if this is the ONLY thing that you have noticed and it has been just 1 time of confusion probably not. I have looked at my grandchild and almost called them by their Uncle's name. They look so much alike at the same age it is uncanny. If you look remotely like her sister at the same age I can see how there could be some momentary confusion. Think back over the past year or so and think about all the slips that you shrugged off. And what about all the slips that you have no knowledge of? OK...now I read your profile. You say she has dementia. So her thinking that you are her sister IS the dementia. You may look like her sister or she may be at a point in her mind where you as a daughter do not exist and the only other person that you could be is her sister. As long as she feel safe with you and it does not bother you being mistaken for your aunt. Don't argue with her about it. You can remind her that your name is "Monica"
Your profile says that she has dementia. So, if she does and she thinks you're her sister then it probably is the dementia talking. I think I've read that the best thing to do is just go with the flow. Pretend you're her sister as there's no point in trying to correct her and you won't get her to believe that you're not her sister.
- UTI
- dehydration
- vitamin deficiency
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- low O2
- stroke
- tumor
(not a complete list).
Since the info about your 94-yr Mom you provided does not include dementia, I would take her to the doctor to at least discount a UTI, which are very common in elderly women and often have no other symptoms other than a change in cognition.
When other, treatable, issues are discounted, then she can more accurately be tested for cognition and memory impairment.
I suggest you read this 33 booklet which is a free download. It has THE best information ever about managing dementia and what to expect with an elder who's been diagnosed with it.
Understanding the Dementia Experience, by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/210580
Jennifer is a nurse who worked for many years as an educator and counsellor for people with dementia and their families, as well as others in caring roles. She addresses the emotional and grief issues in the contexts in which they arise for families living with dementia. The reviews for her books are phenomenal b/c they are written in plain English & very easy to read/understand. Her writings have been VERY helpful for me.
The full copy of her book is available here:
https://www.amazon.com/Thoughtful-Dementia-Care-Understanding-Experience/dp/B09WN439CC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2E7WWE9X5UFXR&keywords=jennifer+ghent+fuller+books&qid=1657468364&sprefix=jennifer+ghent%2Caps%2C631&sr=8-2
Best of luck to you
I have looked at my grandchild and almost called them by their Uncle's name. They look so much alike at the same age it is uncanny.
If you look remotely like her sister at the same age I can see how there could be some momentary confusion.
Think back over the past year or so and think about all the slips that you shrugged off. And what about all the slips that you have no knowledge of?
OK...now I read your profile.
You say she has dementia. So her thinking that you are her sister IS the dementia. You may look like her sister or she may be at a point in her mind where you as a daughter do not exist and the only other person that you could be is her sister.
As long as she feel safe with you and it does not bother you being mistaken for your aunt. Don't argue with her about it. You can remind her that your name is "Monica"
Good luck.