We can look up the medical explanation of dementia but no one knows exactly what it is truly like unless they have first hand experience of caring for a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia.
Sometimes, we don’t recognize the symptoms of dementia when they first occur. I missed the early signs and felt that my mother was confused, forgetful due to normal aging or that she was simply being contrary. I had so much to learn!
I think it would help others to hear what all of you who experienced caring for a person with dementia.
I think so many of us are afraid of dementia (fear of the unknown) that we steer away from the possibility of a parent having dementia. I was grateful when people on this forum suggested that my mom’s behavior could be stemming from dementia because it opened up the door for me to consider that she was having symptoms of dementia.
My mom did develop dementia along with her Parkinson’s disease. Knowing what I was dealing with helped me to understand her behavior. I also learned how to communicate with her doctor better in order for her to receive the best care.
Some of us may have seen dementia with a grandparent and had a head start on the situation with their parents. I didn’t have this frame of reference in my family. Neither of my grandparents had dementia.
Please share your thoughts.
'Think of the brain like a file cabinet. Different files in different drawers have different memories/functions. When dementia happens, the file cabinet tips over and some files fall out (lost memories/functions), while others are too far back in the drawers and stay there. Some even get put back in the wrong drawer and that misfiling can cause confusion and other behaviors.'
It's hard for a couple married 67 yrs. not to argue or try to explain something but you need to realize that what you see is the flesh and bones you used to know but not the brain.
It's hard but there are good moments also