I have a niece, who is now 67 years old.
She seems to be showing signs early of dementia, much like her mother, my sister, who really went downhill from about the age of 70.
Just this week, she has forgotten to close her back door before going to bed at night, has forgotten to take clothing, which she bought the previous day for her mother, who is in a nursing home, even though she specifically bought them the day before. She forgot that she was supposed to pay her roadside assistance bill. She also forgot that she was supposed to talk to her brother, who was in hospital, recovering from chemo therapy. She's been to the shops, and has forgotten to buy what she specifically went for and has come home with things she doesn't need.
That's just a few of the things she does.
She will be doing something, perhaps hanging her clothes up, will think about having a cuppa, so goes out into the kitchen. She'll see that perhaps the kitchen cupboards need a wipe down, so will stop to do that. Then because she has a few dirty cleaning cloths, will start off a load of washing. She may eventually remember that she wanted a cuppa and that she was hanging up her clothes.
She gets so totally distracted. She seems to have the attention span of a gnat.
She has been living in her home for about 4 years now, and still hasn't unpacked all of the boxes, because she gets so distracted by other things.
I know that the sooner that medication is started, in the early signs of dementia, the more effective it could possibly be.
She already takes medication for depression, and for various other ailments, which she also sometimes forgets to take.
My problem is, should I tell her that I think that perhaps she needs to speak to her doctor?
I know she won't take it well. She will just think I am nagging.
She seems to be showing signs early of dementia, much like her mother, my sister, who really went downhill from about the age of 70.
Just this week, she has forgotten to close her back door before going to bed at night, has forgotten to take clothing, which she bought the previous day for her mother, who is in a nursing home, even though she specifically bought them the day before. She forgot that she was supposed to pay her roadside assistance bill. She also forgot that she was supposed to talk to her brother, who was in hospital, recovering from chemo therapy. She's been to the shops, and has forgotten to buy what she specifically went for and has come home with things she doesn't need.
That's just a few of the things she does.
She will be doing something, perhaps hanging her clothes up, will think about having a cuppa, so goes out into the kitchen. She'll see that perhaps the kitchen cupboards need a wipe down, so will stop to do that. Then because she has a few dirty cleaning cloths, will start off a load of washing. She may eventually remember that she wanted a cuppa and that she was hanging up her clothes.
She gets so totally distracted. She seems to have the attention span of a gnat.
She has been living in her home for about 4 years now, and still hasn't unpacked all of the boxes, because she gets so distracted by other things.
I know that the sooner that medication is started, in the early signs of dementia, the more effective it could possibly be.
She already takes medication for depression, and for various other ailments, which she also sometimes forgets to take.
My problem is, should I tell her that I think that perhaps she needs to speak to her doctor?
I know she won't take it well. She will just think I am nagging.
