dementia

[grandmacath]

i have another question ,can anyone answer this in their words ?as your dementia progresses you become more and more forgetfull,you no longer feel able to do many of the things you once took for granted,how do you think you would feel if you gradually lost your memories and abilities?in what ways would this affect your life thanks in advance

[WendyS]

Dimentia affects the sufferer in many ways. Often they know something is wrong but can't always figure out what. This causes a loss of confidence generally and those suffering from it avoid putting themselves in situations where they know they won't be able to cope if their mind suddenly goes blank, i.e. being reluctant to go out because of the fear of forgetting where you are or how to get back home or being in a shop and forgetting you have to pay for purchases. It also causes massive frustration so sufferers become bad tempered, irritable and can even resort to violence.

[grandmacath]

thank you wendys for your answer that has helped me a lot just a few more questions to do for my first unit may have to come back soon

[brawburd]

Frustrated, confused, sad, angry, frightened, embarassed .....

are all emotions I have heard people with dementia expressing.

It can lead to people becoming isolated, depressed, dependent ....

[raysparx]

I agree with what has been said,my dear old mum had dementia,it is very sad but also funny,some of the things she said and did,

it was a gradual decline into a little world of her own,but one positive thing was that the pain of losing my dad disappeared for her ,and she couldn't even remember that she had been married,

but she knew I was her son, my mum never knew she was gradually falling into this ravine from which there is no return,it would be much worse if there was a realisation!

[gammaray]

We though my gran had dementia. Turned out to be a UTI. she was fine once the antibiotics started to work.

[raysparx]

One thing I did not mention was that when the dementia first started my mum became evasive when asked questions she didn't know the answers to

ie, when a doctor asked her who is the prime minister,she looked at me and said " he doesn't know who the prime minister is, you tell him Ray"

Another one was what day is it today? the reply was the same as previous answer, so although there was a memory loss there was also something quite shrewd going on ,it is a bit like a child that can't answer isn't it ?

[grandmacath]

I would like to thank you all for your answers to my question it has helped both myself and coleague we may be back soon

[DillyGent]

grandmacath, I also lost my mum to Alzheimer's/dementia and can honestly say that if I EVER thought I was going to go down that same road I would not hesitate in taking my life. My mum turned from a darling sweet little old Irish lady into a violent, foul-mouthed, unrecognisable monster who was incontinent for the last 3 months of her life. If she had ever seen how she had become she would have been mortified. I nursed her for her last months rather than let her go into a home but it was the most harrowing thing I have ever done. I will NEVER put myself through it.

[raysparx]

sorry about your mum Dilly, it is crap isn't it!! My mum always said to me if i start to go "do lally" give me some pills,, how can you? I loved her so much, you say you won't go through it, but it is such a gradual decline my mum didn't realise at all she was slipping away, luckily for us we didn't have to endure what you did, it is all "there but for the grace of god" isn't it!

Lets hope we never cause our children that pain.take care. Ray

[grandmacath]

dillygent thank you for your answer,i am so sorry to hear of your poor mum,but i do understand how you must have felt as we have a lady at the home i work for who has gone almost the same way ,she was a sweet old lady when she first came,but now well no words can describe her i dont think i would cope with the situation i surely wouldnt want to be a burden on anyone well thanks again and take care