My LO has told me a couple of different times that when she and two of her friends go out, she gets upset. She says that she gets upset because one of her friends is whispering to the other friend in front of her, and she is sure that they are talking about her. They have told her that she needs to get her hearing checked out. I asked my LO if she is hearing alright, she says yes.
On another occasion, LO calls me and asked why I emptied her dishwasher without telling her. She knows that I did it because she is finding things in places she didn't put them. I should call and tell her when I am ready to stop lying to her.
On Monday, I took paperwork over to her that she needs to fill out. I offered to help, but she got upset and said she could do it herself. She asked me three times what the paperwork was for. During this visit, I also felt she had a vacant look on her face, as if the conversation wasn't clicking with her.
At what point, should I call the Memory Clinic and tell them of these experiences I am having with her?
Thank you for time in reading my post.
Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is
a type of MCI that primarily affects memory:
Symptoms
People with amnestic MCI may have trouble remembering important information, such as names, appointments, or recent events. They may also lose things.
Causes
Alzheimer's disease is thought to be the cause of amnestic MCI.
Risk of dementia
People with amnestic MCI may be at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.
Diagnosis
A medical professional will make a diagnosis of MCI after a careful assessment, which may include a physical exam, blood and urine tests, and brain scans.
MCI is a clinical diagnosis, and it's not always easy to diagnose because the symptoms can be subtle. MCI is not usually considered a disability in the United States because it doesn't typically cause significant impairment in daily activities.
Some activities that may help prevent a decline in thinking skills include: Playing games, Playing an instrument, Reading books, and Being social.
The thing is, there isn't much that can be done for memory loss anyway. It's not like there's a great medication on the market that, if you call the clinic, they can prescribe for your LO that will clear this issue up for her. It's a progressive sort of disorder that just gets worse with time. You can treat the symptoms, such as depression and agitation, but nothing with restore her memory unfortunately. She'll need more and more help with everything as time progresses, because short term memory is what we need to function. There are probably 20 steps involved in taking a shower, for example, and if she forgets a few, she's lost. But with cooking, if she forgets there's water boiling on the stove and goes to take a nap, chaos can ensue. It's why 24/7 care is recommended sooner rather than later.
Call the clinic anytime to update them and see what they say. My mother started out with mild dementia and it would progress in steps. She'd be fine and then suddenly, she'd take a step down and start calling me her mother, or putting her pills in coffee cups in the cabinet, and other odd behaviors. You just don't know WHAT to expect and that's the truth. Mom also had severe hearing loss which led to a quicker decline, and paranoia about others making fun of her. Can you get mom to an Audiologist for a hearing test? Hearing and eyesight loss are 2 sensory losses that contribute to cognition issues quite a bit.
Wishing you the best of luck with a difficult situation.
If so it is time now to speak with the MD about good exam, and hopefully some diagnosis.
If she refuses, the eventually this is going to come to a problem where you will have to call APS to help intervene on her behalf.
I wish you good luck.
Thank you for taking time to respond.
Instead I would just keep a journal with the changes that you're noticing with your LO and then whoever goes with them to their next appointment you can either show the doctor the journal or can put notes in your LO's patient portal prior to that appointment so the doctor has a better view as to what is going on with your LO.
What you're describing is very normal with mental decline and dementia, and there really isn't anything any doctor can do to stop it or reverse it, so spend this time now educating yourself about this horrible disease so you're better prepared for what is to come.
And just because your LO says her hearing is ok, I would certainly have that checked out by an audiologist to make sure as loss of hearing is one of many things connected to dementia.
I wish you and your LO well as you take this very difficult roller-coaster ride together.
Thank you for telling me that the loss of hearing is another aspect of dementia. Literally, the first of November is when the diagnosis was issued. Despite all of my reading, I am still feeling a bit lost as to what I should react to or accept it as part of the journey.
Thank you for taking time to respond.
This will complicate things exponentially.