I've been reading up on the stages of Alzheimers. My LO has significant dementia and from the symptoms appears to be in the Moderate Stage as of last month. She repeats the same thing over and over and can't provide much about her life other than basic info about her deceased parents and her love for wrestling.
Now, when I walk into her room at the AL, I see her look at me and then it takes a couple of seconds before I see the recognition on her face of who I am. Then she's okay and so thrilled to see me. I'm the only family member alive that has helped her and am her POA.
Once this lack of recognition of faces begins, does it normally progress quickly or will she stay at this level for awhile? I realize the disease effects everyone differently. I just wondered if there are any patterns.
(I'm an only, by the way.) Mom was confused by her meds a few months ago, and I saw that same lack of recognition on her face.
I think you're right. Alzheimer's and/or dementia effects everyone differently. There's no crystal ball. Helping her in the moment is probably more helpful than trying to predict its course.
I hope you've checked out all her meds to make sure her condition isn't exacerbated by her medication. There's plenty of common meds for seniors that cause and amplify confusion.
I am going to review her meds with her doctor in a couple of weeks. I can tell she looks much better physically than before she went on them and her attitude is better. She seems happier than I've seen her in years, with a few issues with her roommate, but except for that, she says she's happy.
Before she went to AL she would constantly move from one thing to the next, never able to complete one project before forgetting what she was doing. I don't see that now, but the repeating is the same and now the look in her eye that she doesn't recognize me for a couple of seconds.
I hope she can remember who I am at least for another year.