Dementia - What signs to look for?

[5corpio]

What signs should I look for?

Dementia is not a single illness but a group of symptoms caused by damage to the brain. The symptoms include:

• memory loss, such as remembering past events much more easily than recent ones
• problems thinking or reasoning, or finding it hard to follow conversations or TV programmes
• feeling anxious, depressed or angry about memory loss, or feeling confused, even when in a familiar environment

What should I do?

If you’re worried about someone who is showing the signs above, encourage them to visit their GP to get a proper diagnosis. Use the link at the top of the page to find your GP.


Read more here---> If someone you know has memory loss, encourage them to see a GP

[di30]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

An excellent thread, thank you for posting up and raising awareness on this awful disease.

My dad was diagnosed in his early 60's, and we wish we had known more about this then and feel it would have slowed the progress down even more. As it then taken a long time for them to give this diagnosis and they had put it down to encephylitis at first, as he did suffer this condition as well years earlier.

But the earlier they detect, the better chances of it being slowed right down - where sufferers will keep their independence for longer.

Unfortunately, I did lost my beloved dad last year at the age of 69, but not down to this condition.

Do take note of the thread posted by 5corpio and if you recognise any of the symptoms on yourself and others, seek help, as there is help out there these days x

[5corpio]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

charity asked for the thread - so here it is....My Gran (93 years old), Has Dementia, let alone a few months ago whilst my parents put her in a care home so they can go on holiday for a break has to rush back after 1 week, as she had fallen over and broke her hip........just out of hospital last week - parents are really struggling with her (Bed @ home has a gate guards to stop her from getting out of bed when she needs a Qui......so they need to both get up (at least 3 or 5 times during the night) to help her out of bed (parents already in there late 60's) Strain on them too

[garlok]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

Hi 5corpio,

Sorry to hear this its a nightmare the whole thing. Have you spoken with her GP about getting the community nurse to come and see her. It may be case of having a catheter fitted and monitered, the home had to do it with Mrs G's younger brother in the end. Thsi has improved his quality a bit and relieved the staff somewhat.

However about all the symptoms shown above in post #1. Mrs G says I have had them all for years l

regards
Garlok

[PriorityOne]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

charity asked for the thread - so here it is....My Gran (93 years old), Has Dementia, let alone a few months ago whilst my parents put her in a care home so they can go on holiday for a break has to rush back after 1 week, as she had fallen over and broke her hip........just out of hospital last week - parents are really struggling with her (Bed @ home has a gate guards to stop her from getting out of bed when she needs a Qui......so they need to both get up (at least 3 or 5 times during the night) to help her out of bed (parents already in there late 60's) Strain on them too

My mum had Alzheimer's; which is a form of dementia. She passed away in 2008 after being in a care home for 6 years because not one of us was able to care for her in the way that her illness needed. The home was a secure unit type, so she couldn't get out and wander which had started to become a problem.

I wish that I'd been more aware of the signs earlier in her life because I think she suffered in silence for many years and this still makes me sad now. She could be very cantankerous (part of the illness), which made life hard for us at times and just before she went into the home, she started to let herself out and wander. This was a terrible worry and I went looking for her many times; sometimes in the dark. At times she was wearing very little and the weather was cold.

Although she lived with my step-dad at the time, he was not a well man himself and broke down in tears because he wanted to cope so much but had to admit... eventually, that he didn't have the strength to do it anymore..... so my sister and I went to view several homes in the area so that we could find one suitable for her.

Mum's care was privately funded from her own savings until she passed but the decision to place her in a home was best for her and for my step-dad. It was a horrendously difficult decision to make at the time but we had little choice because we all knew it was a progressive illness. At the end, she was doubly incontinent, completely bed-ridden and on a turning chart every 3-4 hours or so.

It's an awful illness.... in some ways, I felt that I lost her long before she passed away. I did my grieving when she went into the home.... When she passed, it was more of a relief; tinged with sadness and loss.... but a relief anyway.

We were invited to see her in the Chapel of Rest which I did but only because I wanted to see her at peace and see for myself that the Altzheimer's had gone, if that makes sense.

Very sad....

[di30]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

I feel for everyone going through what we went through with my beloved dad.
I know exactly how you feel my friends.

Even though dad was in the progressed stages during his late 60's as a big family we all tried to mingle in and do what we could to help mum with him, but it came to the stage that there was only so much we could do. Mum also being disabled found it so difficult to cope, and she became run down and ended up with shingles.

However, before that my autistic brother who has severe autism was at home with both mum and dad for thirty years and it taken its toll on them both, so all these years have just been about caring, thank fully there are organisations that will help these days.

Dad did end up in a EMI care/nursing home for a little while, reasons for EMI because of a number of other medical conditions as well. In 4 months he was actually moved from one to the other because they could not cope with the medical problems dad did have, so required EMI.

We too wish we knew of the signs with dad earlier, but as the signs started when he was in his 50's it was too difficult to pick up at that age and as he did have encephalitis before that, as many of you will know this is an illness to the brain and can be easily missed too, just like the signs of dementia.

I see that ad on tv and each time it brings back memories and even guilt, if only we had known then with dad would things have progressed as quickly as they had done with him.

This awareness should have been raised years ago, so thank goodness its been raised now.

[5corpio]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

New web site Was called 'SCALES' now called 'contenteddementiatrust'

Contented Dementia Trust - A positive, person-centred method of managing Alzheimers and other forms of dementia

[Deepie]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

I've forgotten about this thread......

[philnicandamy]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

I2D shame on you!

[di30]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

I didn't forget about this thread, just found it a little sore on the subject since my beloved dad was so young (early 60's) having this horrible condition, god bless him.
I used to be a member of the dementia sites as well here and there, that was more so when dad was still with us, found it very difficult, but I am getting stronger now.

Great site you posted there 5corpio and thank goodness for these sites as well, cheers.

[5corpio]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

Its a friend whom i know that works for them Di and she had posted the new site today, and i had remembered that we had a thread, so thought that i would post (My nanna has Dementia (whom my father - whose off sick from having a heart attack and mini strokes over the last 4 years, and now has his ESA stricken from him now Apr 2012 '365 day rule' (so wont get any money from the DWP) whom has been looking after her as well as his wife who ill as well........He can't even claim JSA, as the DWP has to sign him off first from ESA, but they've signed him till April 2013 - But wont get any penny as they got over 16k rule (which he will be at the retirement age anyhoo)........No Win.......Sucks!

But anyhoo, as above - reference dementia trust linky!!!

[di30]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

Its a friend whom i know that works for them Di and she had posted the new site today, and i had remembered that we had a thread, so thought that i would post (My nanna has Dementia (whom my father - whose off sick from having a heart attack and mini strokes over the last 4 years, and now has his ESA stricken from him now Apr 2012 '365 day rule' (so wont get any money from the DWP) whom has been looking after her as well as his wife who ill as well........He can't even claim JSA, as the DWP has to sign him off first from ESA, but they've signed him till April 2013 - But wont get any penny as they got over 16k rule (which he will be at the retirement age anyhoo)........No Win.......Sucks!

But anyhoo, as above - reference dementia trust linky!!!

It's a great site, please tell your friend from me, thank you.

Aww I am so sorry to hear that of your nanna, and your poor dad too!

It's so damn wrong with all these coming changes, ESA etc!
What is the world coming to?

It's getting out of hand now isn't it?

[5corpio]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

Severe dementia care: Homes try new approach

It is estimated that one-in-three people over 65 will die with dementia. Researchers say there is a lack of evidence on how to provide the best care for patients with advanced dementia who are terminally ill. This week a group of leading health charities wrote to the prime minister urging him to make this a priority as part of his "dementia challenge". I have been to see a new approach to looking after people with severe dementia that's on trial in several care homes in south London. The programme is called Namaste, in this case meaning "to honour the spirit within". It has been developed for care home residents with severe dementia who can no longer speak up for themselves. They may be immobile, and prone to infections. They often have difficulty swallowing, and may suffer from pain. At many homes they may be confined to their rooms or placed for hours in front of the TV. At Park Avenue care home in Bromley in Kent staff introduced the Namaste programme last summer.

Sooth the senses
This approach - developed in the United States - soothes the senses, using sound, touch, smell and taste. These are all familiar techniques, but here they are brought together every day in a dedicated communal space. The residents with advanced dementia are gathered in a Namaste room, where they are greeted and groomed, massaged and stroked. Staff offer sweet treats to help keep their mouths moist, or discuss favourite old photos, against a gentle soundtrack of birdsong from a CD.....Read more here: BBC News - Severe dementia care: Homes try new approach

[5corpio]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

Aberdeen dementia patient 'had 106 carers'

A woman has claimed her husband, who had dementia, was given 106 different carers in a single year. Jeanette Maitland said the constant stream of different faces sent by agencies working for Aberdeen's social work department contravened her husband Ken's basic human right to dignity. Mr Maitland died from a dementia-related illness on 12 May aged 72. Aberdeen City Council has pledged to look into the concerns his wife has raised. Mrs Maitland told BBC Scotland she initially wrote down the names of her husband's carers so that she could get to know them. She added: "I just started taking note of the names so I could remember properly and put a face to the name.
"Then each time a new face came so I kept writing, writing, writing, until we're here where we are today with 106 carers."...Read more on this story: Aberdeen dementia patient

[di30]

Re: Dementia - What signs to look for?

106 care workers, that is bad, before my dad was taken into an EMI Nursing home, he had 3 different ones a day that was bad enough and he got very confused and very unsettled, even though he was home, he never thought he was because of all these how he seen them as strangers.