I doubt she’s faking that. My mother-in-law doesn’t have dementia (she is kind of ditzy) but cornbread is her favorite food. She’d rather have cornbread & buttermilk (Southern United States here!) than any other food & will rave about it. Whether your MIL has dementia or not, I bet she was really happy with her cornbread so that’s just what she focused on.
It’s probably just the dementia. My husband wouldn’t remember going to a five hour respite care program (went twice a week and would say I didn’t go today), but would remember the yoga activity he did there. Perhaps the corn bread’s taste brought had more of a connection for her and she was able to remember it.
Somewhere, has your MIL been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia? This is pretty common for folks with Congestive Heart Failure.
Have you had any further discussions with your husband about placing mom in a facility?
If you have home health care workers coming in to care for her, WHY are you at home? Get out. Go to the library. (Do you work outside the home? Put in overtime!)
If your MIL was moved into your home without your consent, you shouldn't bother yourself with her. You say husband is cooking and doing her meds. Let him do it all.
If it becomes important to remember what was for lunch, it helps to ask my dH: "What would you call it?"
However, I do understand your concern is to understand her memory loss. You could ask her later, or rephrase the question, trying not to put her on the spot.
Another communication technique (used rarely), is to have a conversation with another person in Mil's presence, (for example) about the stew. Then, she might remember and speak up about it.
Your Mil could be going through an argumentative stage or episode. imo.
What other things have you noticed? There are times when I would not be able to tell you what I had for lunch yesterday but if you asked me 5 minutes after eating I would be able to tell you. Typically people don't "fake" memory loss. If you are at that stage most likely there is no underlying motive to "fake" something like that. There are usually other indications of memory loss. Have you discussed this with her doctor? Have other people noticed that something is amiss? A little more info as to what is going on would be helpful. And I am sure this will be asked but.. Where does she live? Does she live with you? Alone? With someone? How old is she? Any other health conditions?
She has lived with for a month now.Her daughter takes care of getting her prescriptions refilled and her mail etc.She had lived with the same daughter for 3 years but she could no longer take.And my husband jumped in to accomadate her in ours( against my knowledge)She is 90 and on oxygen and isn't allowed to go upstairs where the bedrooms and bathroom are.So living room is her room with shower my husband installed and her furniture , bedside toilet.she also has congestive heart failure.
Here's some background on the situation.
Somewhere, has your MIL been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia? This is pretty common for folks with Congestive Heart Failure.
Have you had any further discussions with your husband about placing mom in a facility?
If you have home health care workers coming in to care for her, WHY are you at home? Get out. Go to the library. (Do you work outside the home? Put in overtime!)
If your MIL was moved into your home without your consent, you shouldn't bother yourself with her. You say husband is cooking and doing her meds. Let him do it all.
"What would you call it?"
However, I do understand your concern is to understand her memory loss. You could ask her later, or rephrase the question, trying not to put her on the spot.
Another communication technique (used rarely), is to have a conversation with another person in Mil's presence, (for example) about the stew. Then, she might remember and speak up about it.
Your Mil could be going through an argumentative stage or episode. imo.
There are times when I would not be able to tell you what I had for lunch yesterday but if you asked me 5 minutes after eating I would be able to tell you.
Typically people don't "fake" memory loss. If you are at that stage most likely there is no underlying motive to "fake" something like that.
There are usually other indications of memory loss.
Have you discussed this with her doctor? Have other people noticed that something is amiss?
A little more info as to what is going on would be helpful.
And I am sure this will be asked but..
Where does she live? Does she live with you? Alone? With someone? How old is she? Any other health conditions?