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I am trying to understand the type of dementia a lady I care for has. She has had it over 20 years. She shows no signs of physical decline after all this time, takes no medication. Her symptoms began as forgetfulness, then it progressively got worse. She is not able to put words together in sentences and is sometimes difficult to get her to cooperate. She does have sundowning as the later in the day it gets the less cooperative she is. I love this sweet lady and wish there was more I could do for her. Anyone know what type of dementia this could be? Does not act like Alzheimer's or LBD. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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Possible stroke?
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Look at medical history. Ask about family history. She takes no medication, but is she being entirely honest with her MD?
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It sounds similar to my mother who can't finish a sentence.
It could be a frontal lobe disorder called Primary Progressive Aphasia.
Sad, but unfortunately there is not much you can do.
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Yogagirl, ill check into that. Thanks. As to being honest with her MD, she cannot communicate with her doc. Her son said it started out with forgetting things, and I must include she was brillant, she lectured all over the world on education, wrote had her PHD, quite a remarkable woman. Now 20 years later she doesnt know how to care for self. Its so sad.
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Can you describe the sundowning to the doctor; she might benefit from meds for agitation late in the day.
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Talk to her doctor.
You don't mention her age (with a 20 year history I would assume she is 70-80ish, possibly older. Purely guessing, as I know nothing more than what you said, and I am by no means a neurological expert and you don't mention any real decision-making, emotional or physical problems, sounds like either of a couple of things, or a bit of both: Primary Progressive Apashia, mentioned by yogagirl, and Mild Cognitive Impairment, which is more related to normal aging process. Again, talk to her doctor.
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She is now 85. So it began in her mid 60's. She cannot make any decisions on her own. She just sits and watches what goes on around her. If you try and talk to her she smile, maybe says a word or two not always the right words. She no longer recoginizes her grand children or even her sons wjo live out of state. She recognizes me but not my name or her one son who visits often. I do her showers and if its past noon its impossible to get her to cooperate. She wont brush her teeth even with patient coxing, just shuts mouth tight, doesnt seem to understand. Also I resorted to gummie vitamins as taking pills is almost impossible. She hayes for people to help her dress yet would never think to change her clothes. Its so sad, i just thought maybe some of you would have more insight. We did try about 2 years ago to give her small ( very small ) dose of seraquil before showers to make her less aggitated but because she never takes any meds and is only 90 lbs it just make she sleeply so we stopped. I know I reaching for straws and it may be to late for any help, but i thought id try. The sundowing is just her being less cooperative harder to get her to respond to you. By the way her husband passed 2 yrs ago and never once did she ask about him.Hope this info helps. And thanks all for the replies
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