My mom is in her 80's and she has not driven a car for years because I always took her everywhere. Her license has also been expired for years. She lives with me. She has been having mental issues. Her memory is bad. She repeats herself and questions over and over even when she gets an answer she doesn't remember getting the answer. She takes a walk and gets lost and confused. She can't remember if she ate. She won't take a shower and smells. Her cat pees in her bed so she is sleeping in cat pee and she says she can't smell it and says I am lying. The smell from her room is so bad it makes me sick. She gets out of breath just going up some stairs or sometime just getting up. She has glacoma and refuses to take her eye drops or go to the eye doctor because she can't see sometimes. Her vision is sometimes blurry. She can be violent at times. She wears the same clothes day after day, which makes it worst because they not only smell of body ordor but cat pee. The cat has a problem and needs to go for sanitary reasons to my mom but she refuses to get rid of her even when I told her I get her another one. She can't remember family or where she lives. She thinks her siblings that have died over 50 years ago are alive or she makes up new one that never existed. She either talks to herself or talks to her cat which I believe she thinks she is a person. She forgets where she puts things and either accuses my children or I of taking it. She collects grocery bags and paper and other odd things. She acts like a 2 year old. She refuses to go to the doctors. What I have been reading I believe she may have dementia or alzheimer. She has almost all symptoms. Now she wants to renew her driver's license. Being her caregiver for years I been seeing her getting worst. I know if she got to drive she or someone else is going to get hurt. I don't know what to do. She is very stuburn. This is not my mother. Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you
I strongly encourage you to get your mother to (or back to) her GERIATRIC doctor that is familar with Alzheimer's, and provide him with the information you provided here (in more detail with dates if you can) on the decline of your mother's capabilities.
I can't type fast enough to tell you all that I would want to, to shorten your 'learning curve'.
First .... If you do not have DURABLE power of attorney for your mother (financial and medical) PLEASE see an elder lawyer and get this done as soon as possible.
Second: the doctor. Get her examed with a complete physical exam and bloodwork, UTI screen, and any other baseline 'tests' before things get worse. review ALL medications with her doctor and explain that you need help understanding what can be done to help your mother.
Third; Get your house "ELDER PROOFED" whereby you have locks for all doors and YOU have the only key. Car keys are not available, and a thousand other things as can be researched on the internet or in great books on the market.
Alzheimer's Proofing your home.
learning to speak Alzheimers.
The 36-hour day
All books that you should check out from the library or buy on Amazon.
(all of these are 'firsts in my book)
There are so many other things that you should do, coming here was a great way to start. God bless. (more to follow I am sure).