I’m sad about my client.

[Ronni]

One of my clients, who’s also become a dear friend, we’ve been together 30+ years, was diagnosed with dementia.

I’ve known something was wrong for some time, and ultimately spoke with her husband and daughter because I was getting concerned. We all compared notes, and she was finally taken to the doctor and diagnosed.

She’s still more or less herself, but her lapses are impossible to ignore. She’s driving ok, isn’t getting lost or anything, but will do things like go out for groceries but come back with a new clothing item or some such because she forgot why she was going out.

I’ve begun taking over all her bill paying. She’s had bills go to collections because of nonpayment simply because she forgot to pay, or thought she had. There’s plenty of money, they live in a 4.5 million dollar home, there’s no lack of funds.

It’s just very sad to see her begin to decline this way. She was diagnosed with “moderate dementia” as per the Global Deterioration Scale.

Global Deterioration Scale

 

[hearlady]

I worked with seniors and I saw some with dementia that came on more slowly. However, one man was fine. We always had good talks.The next visit he called from Dunkin Donuts to see if we could come get him. He didn't know the way. His came on more suddenly.
He came with a caregiver after that and remembered me but I don't think he was quite sure h

 

[Jeni]

bless those who work with seniors
I thought I would like to do that at end of my career, but I do not think i could take the onset and watching some fade away. I have seen from a distance I do not think a front row seat would be nothing but sad.

 

[Knight]

Stage 2
In stage 2, the person will start to experience occasional lapses in memory, such as forgetting where everyday objects are placed or names they once knew very well.
***********************************************************************************

It was at this point my wife wanted to know what to expect.

Stage 2 continued

At this stage, symptoms are unlikely to affect the person’s work or social interactions and may be too mild to detect in a clinical interview with a healthcare provider.
***********************************************************************************

Office testing with her PCP led to an appointment with a neurologist. The neurologist did his thing and listened to what my wife concerns were. That led to.

Blood testing led to x ray of the brain that made it possible to get a PET scan to know for sure what is happening. Fearing what might be rather than testing to know is understandable. It's not easy to overcome fear. My wife didn't fear what might be. Thankfully her test proved negative. The neurologist said her symptoms were normal that some hardening of the arteries was the cause.

My wife has always been strong & even in hard times looked for answers to whatever was challenging us.

Sad that those closest to her didn't take action to confirm what might be.

Edited to include I mean the immediate family not Ronni

 

[Ronni]

Stage 2
In stage 2, the person will start to experience occasional lapses in memory, such as forgetting where everyday objects are placed or names they once knew very well.
***********************************************************************************

It was at this point my wife wanted to know what to expect.

Stage 2 continued

At this stage, symptoms are unlikely to affect the person’s work or social interactions and may be too mild to detect in a clinical interview with a healthcare provider.
***********************************************************************************

Office testing with her PCP led to an appointment with a neurologist. The neurologist did his thing and listened to what my wife concerns were. That led to.

Blood testing led to x ray of the brain that made it possible to get a PET scan to know for sure what is happening. Fearing what might be rather than testing to know is understandable. It's not easy to overcome fear. My wife didn't fear what might be. Thankfully her test proved negative. The neurologist said her symptoms were normal that some hardening of the arteries was the cause.

My wife has always been strong & even in hard times looked for answers to whatever was challenging us.

Sad that those closest to her didn't take action to confirm what might be.

Edited to include I mean the immediate family not Ronni

@Knight I gave you the wrong idea I think. She had extensive testing to get to the diagnosis. Scans as well as cognitive testing. She has atrial fibrillation so she’s under routine care for that as well.

 

[Knight]

@Knight I gave you the wrong idea I think. She had extensive testing to get to the diagnosis. Scans as well as cognitive testing. She has atrial fibrillation so she’s under routine care for that as well.

That clears up my misunderstanding.

Far to many ignore what they are experiencing. And for whatever reason their loved ones do to. I attribute not wanting to know to fear. I could be wrong.

 

[hearlady]

I've heard it's normal to forget where you left your keys but not normal to not know what the keys are for.

 

[hollydolly]

It just seems to be becoming an epidemic... you're the second person on the forum this week Ronni, to tell us a friend has dementia...it just seems to be so many people way more than when I was young, and I mixed with my gran's friends all the time and my older relatives , ..there might have been one who was a ''bit senile'' among them ,,, but nothing like this dementia epidemic..

In the Uk the number of people with dementia is estimated at a whopping 850,00.... in England alone, the figure is 676,000.... It is estimated that one in three people will care for a person with dementia in their lifetime.