My 85 yr old mother is having some severe problems with any kind of reasoning skills. Until about 6 months ago she was racing thru the grocery stores and in VERY good physicial shape, her 3 children were not able to keep up with her pace and daily schedules!! She runs rings around most people 20 years younger. It started about 6 months ago after she had carpel tunnel surgery. She HAD to have the surgery as she had several quilts started and needed to finish them and to also start Christmas presents for 2011. Since the surgery, she is not able to do much of anything that requires any thought or reasoning. I did get her to the doctor and he suggested an MRI. She set up the appt. then got home and cancelled it because she didn't think she needed it. She passed the test that the doctor questioned her on, dementia test, with flying colors, but she is having trouble with finances, TV remote, following recipes, sewing, and just about everyother thing that requires that she follow instructions or any thought process. Her personality has also changed. She is very defensive, very outspoken and downright rude. My father was diagnosed 3 yrs ago with dementia and he is doing better than she is mentally. She is still driving and we can't seem to get her to quit. The eye doctor has cleared her to drive (8 months ago) but she can't ever find anything, it has to be pointed out to her, even if an object is right in front of her, My mother was the most thoughtful, sweet person that was such a talented seamstress, and the best cook/baker around. She is now not very nice at times, acts like a 2 yr old at times, and wonders around the house starting to do 1 project and by the end of the day she has started 100 projects and not finished a one of them. And all of them are out and in piles scattered everywhere. She can not even get my fathers medications correct and has given him some wrong ones and left some out. She doesn't know to check on him to see that he has taken his medications. I am now staying with them about 5 days a week to help out with daily chores that she can not do now. Cooking, dishes, and just following them around to make sure medications are taken, and to tell her what she was doing last and where things are. I read some on dementia, alzheimers, and nothing sounds like what is going on with her. She still has knowledge of dates, days, seasons, writing sentences, drawing pictures, current events, but when it comes to doing everyday tasks she has always done, she can not start it or can't complete it. Any suggestions?
My heart goes out to you, My mom was relatively fine up until a TIA that changed everything overnight and I don't think I will ever get over losing her so suddenly and unexpectedly. But I still love the woman who she is now very much, and we will just keep going along...
Stay Strong.
Again, thank you for your input.
Some people improve over time, but many don't. A scan is important for your mom - either a PET scan or MRI - whatever the doctor thinks is best. Obviously, something is going on with her. If she has no infection, and no new medications (both of these should be checked as they can cause dementia symptoms), then it could be dementia caused by the operation. Please keep working on her to have a scan. A third party - non-family member - may be able to convince her. Far too often, family dynamics get in the way when we try to convince our parents to do something.
Good luck with this. It sounds like you need lots of back up. Please keep us informed with how your do.
Carol