Quote:
Originally Posted by 911boost
There is a guy retiring this Friday. I’ve noticed he tells me the same stories over and over again. I can match him word by word in my head as he speaks. I’ve memorized them. I stay polite and just let him tell it like the first time.
Is this a sign of something sinister in his future? Alzheimer’s?
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Hah! We see what you did there.
Dementia and Alzheimer's are not the same although 60 to 80% of those with dementia do have Alzheimer's. Dementia is a more normal progression of the ability to maintain the same brain function as you did when younger. It just goes with old age — some more than others.
I have a friend I meet for coffee now and then and I'm apt to hear the same story if our visits are more frequent. Less frequent and he's on to new territory. I'd say anywhere from a month or 2 and the repeated story is dropped. It could be triggered, though, at any time.
OTOH, my wife can order dinner and five minutes later ask me what she ordered. Or shopping at the grocery, I carry the list and put things in the cart and mention it. 2 aisles later she asks me if we got the item.
At this point the blank seems to be from 5 minutes to 24 hours and then the memory may very well kick back in. She is OK with most routines. The early signs were likely there well over 5 years ago. Treatment began a year ago, but there is no real cure.
So what does treatment mean? I couldn't tell you other than some of this medicine is a bad as any cancer meds you have ever heard of.
For dementia diet, blood pressure, any
heart issues and overall health are the key. The brain needs a lot of oxygen and if there is anything impairing that then brain is not being cared for.
One thing older folks can do is keep up the dialogue and debate like reading all of the varied threads here and elsewhere and participate. Kinda hard to interact with the news on TV or in print.