Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
T
tiredmom4 Asked August 2013

Mom's speech. Is this a sign of dementia or something?

I have been noticing this for quite awhile now. My Mom who's almost 89 will talk with a "mush mouth" when trying to get someones attention. The nurse or the doctor or me but yet she can speak perfectly normal a few minutes before she does this...and I heard her lie to the doctor and nurse at the hospital yesterday...twice. She is in the hospital for the edema in her legs and she looks happy to be there yet says she doesn't want to be there. Anyone notice speech differences in their parent and is this a sign of dementia or something...she doesn't do it around everyone just me and my husband and doctors or nurses

EXPERT Carol Bradley Bursack, CDSGF Aug 2013
It's interesting that she doesn't do this with everyone, just people with some authority. Perhaps she's trying to maintain a type of control. I think you should discuss this with her doctor.

There could be something medically wrong. However, it may be just a tactic she's using for some reason if her own. The fact that she acts happy to be in the hospital yet says she's not could mean that she's manipulating in this situation, as well, because she likes the attention. It's going to be up to medical people to determine if this behavior is medical or manipulative. Then, of course, you'll have to decide how to respond. Even manipulation an be based in illness.
Good luck,
Carol

tiredmom4 Aug 2013
Thank you! I will be talking to her doctor soon...until now he has told me nothing about what is going on but yesterday a nurse put a note on her chart to have him call me...need to know all that is going on with her..thank you

ADVERTISEMENT


ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter