Can people with dementia figure out that they have dementia?

Pamstegma, how could you possibly give an answer like that to someone? Elderly try to hide their declining functions. Rich 2015 was trying for support. It sounds to me like his mother IS declining. I cannot believe how stubborn my parents are. My mother refuses hearing aids and glaucoma operation to clear her vision. My Dad will soon be blind with glaucoma from diabetes, and refuses to change his diet. I am only here with them as their daughter, but mom is very cold towards me and dad is insulting. Everyday day I swallow hurts, that are accumulating into resentment. I try to make sure their blood levels don't get too high, but they want to eat whatever they want. I have a sister who never helps out, and she is their favorite. Since mom had a stroke, I have been here 24/7 doing everything in the house and outside. Since I am retiring, this is not how I wished to spend my life. I have no social life. They refuse to have help come into the house. Any suggestions from anyone's?

My Mom is just starting with vascular dementia. That means it's an on and off thing, shows up then goes away, but is expected to cause longer periods of confusion. She DOES tell me that she's just not thinking right when she gets confused. She can carry on a sensible conversation, but to try to do a process like planning an event or balancing a checkbook, she can't do it. So she knows she is getting "memory problems". When she has bladder infections, she is just lost and screams at her kids that THEY are the ones thinking backwards and all mixed up and she has no idea that she is not reasonable or logical. So I guess in a while when she gets permanently more confused, first she will think it's everyone else, then she will become like my Dad was, unaware of much of anything or why things are happening. In the beginning, many are aware of thinking problems.

Have her checked for bladder infection. It's the number one cause for confusion in people over 70. It happens to my Mom every time she gets an infection or is dehydrated. Then when the bladder infection clears up, she's ok again, but it is scary because it comes on quite quickly.