[Help] Help with possible dementia

Had to ask a neighbour about the lady next door as we noticed her light was off last night - turns out it was just the first time we had come home in the dark and noticed as she hadn't been there for weeks and had been in hospital and now a home. She used to come round often with her phone or tablet asking the same questions and telling us 3 or 4 times in the conversation that she had been diagnosed with dementia. But she was still out shopping and working in a charity shop so must have gone down hill very quickly - she didn't recognise her step daughter when she visited her hospital. She was very dependant on her husband who she lost a few years ago so I don't know if that can hasten it. Found out she had been scammed into giving her credit card details twice.

Vicious disease.

Oh @Bozza , I know exactly what you're going through and I've suddenly got something in my eye as well. A room in my house is filling up with what I've retained from my mum's and I've still got a few more trips up to her house until I've got to the stage of calling the house clearance company (or Age Concern who do clearances as well). Then hopefully it'll be sold.

I've taken a few things into my mum in her care home, but to be honest, it goes walkies there - my mum leaves it somewhere or another residenttakes it.. I really wouldn't take anything in of monetary value. I keep a few photo albums here so I can take them in and she recognises a few people in the photos. She confuses my dad who died in 2000 with a resident on her floor, but still knows who I am, especially as I always bellow Hello Mum, when I visit.

Having a cry is good for you. Hopefully you've got someone at home to support you. The local Carers Trusts are good as well.

Sympathies Bozza…..I went though it all with my mother for a few years after she was diagnosed with a ‘dementing’ type illness ….which nearly drove my father (who suffered similarly before his passing) to an early grave…we went through support at home from the local mental health team and the AZ …to her staying at Swandean hospital which had a mental health unit…..to finally for the sake of all of our sanity a care home specialising in Dementia, where she passed a year to the day she was admitted.

As an aside my Ex lost one of her sisters last week after she had suffered vascular dementia for the past few years…..to see a person who once ran a HR department in London for a major Japanese Bank turn into an unrecognisable person who just existed in a bed for every second of the day was sad to say the least.

All the best and make sure you take care of yourself as well!