A family member was diagnosed last month, her husband saw the signs 14 months ago.

She's 76 y.o.

Yes, but there are a lot of variables that affect it:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.c...g-does-dementia-last

Absolutely it can. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia as is Parkinson's. My dad has been suffering from diminished capacity evident by an interruption of speech fluency for the past 6 years. Last Tuesday he was diagnosed with full on Alzheimer's. He was counseled to stop driving and limit time alone. In his case, dementia will certainly shorten his life and decrease his quality of life.

Yes. We are talking about the deterioration of cognitive functioning, ie the brain. Dementia is a very broad category.

Yes, that's how I lost my Mom.

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Originally posted by darthfuster:
Absolutely it can. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia as is Parkinson's. My dad has been suffering from diminished capacity evident by an interruption of speech fluency for the past 6 years. Last Tuesday he was diagnosed with full on Alzheimer's. He was counseled to stop driving and limit time alone. In his case, dementia will certainly shorten his life and decrease his quality of life.

Curious what limiting time alone does that is better for the patient. Not hurting their self I take it?

Watched my Grammy go down fast. Hard woman very sharp all the sudden told me the same thing over and over and over. It would seem like she's trolling you if you weren't read in. She understood the overarching things, but minute to minute was fog.

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Originally posted by Slippery Pete:
Curious what limiting time alone does that is better for the patient. Not hurting their self I take it?

I'm not an expert but I would say it has to do w/ being social. Often we see elderly couples who lose a spouse, they soon follow.
Social interaction on a regular basis is important.

Recently there was a post about Dementia and hearing loss. Hearing loss can also contribute to decreased social interaction but also the lack of processing of communication.

Like I say, I'm not an expert but from my reading, communication in the form of social interaction is very important.

But there are different types of dementia.
My mother has vascular dementia to a degree. I keep her involved in church activities, a knitting class, hair salon every week, etc. In her case it's also important she moves or does exercises. She has a history of stroke, diabetes, and heart problems.

It would have killed my dad, but cancer decided to cut to the front of the line.

One thing that really seemed to help him was injections of B12. When they tested him he was so deficient that they assumed he was a career alcoholic. Fact was he might have had a single beer on a ninety degree or hotter day, but that was it.

When he had the shots there were days almost like he never had dementia.

quote:

Originally posted by Slippery Pete:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
Absolutely it can. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia as is Parkinson's. My dad has been suffering from diminished capacity evident by an interruption of speech fluency for the past 6 years. Last Tuesday he was diagnosed with full on Alzheimer's. He was counseled to stop driving and limit time alone. In his case, dementia will certainly shorten his life and decrease his quality of life.

Curious what limiting time alone does that is better for the patient. Not hurting their self I take it?

Watched my Grammy go down fast. Hard woman very sharp all the sudden told me the same thing over and over and over. It would seem like she's trolling you if you weren't read in. She understood the overarching things, but minute to minute was fog.

For my dad it’s about safety. He forgets details, but Alzheimers is degenerative so those details will become more critical and there’s no predicting when that will be. Last week he left the water running in the bathroom sink for an hour. Imagine if the drain were stopped. He just can’t be left alone for long periods.

Yeah totally get it. Grammy had her daughter move in with her at the end. This was a 40+ year VA nurse and her daughter was similar nurse. They were doing sticky notes all over the house for reminders. She started bumping into things with her car and forgetting where she was going. Very strange to see that.

Grammy used to joke with me, "I can't remember things so well anymore," and I'd tell her I can't either.

The component of this that they know it's happening is the worst I think. I would have listened to her tell me the same thing 20 times an hour and laughed with her about it for years. Her decline was gradual, an administered "hot" shot of morphine was probably what took her as I understand it as she had been weakened.

It likely shortens the life if it can't be overcome. I can't say for sure either way, but if you put me in those shoes today I'll be damned if I don't go down swinging. Diet, exercise, etc.

I'm luckily unfamiliar - when cause of death is listed as Alzheimers, what are the symptoms that caused death? Do vital organs shut down or does one just waste away?

My 91 yo Mom died a year ago from complications of Alzheimers. One Thursday she was singing with a group from the nursing home. Friday she lost her ability to swallow. No water or food. She passed the following Wednesday.

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Originally posted by Slippery Pete:

Curious what limiting time alone does that is better for the patient. Not hurting their self I take it?

It's not about hurting themselves. It's about stimulus from the interaction with others. If you don't exercise your brain, it atrophies.

My Mother is 98. Has no short term memory. Mother broke her hip and had covid in the last year. Also has asthma and needs a nebulizer frequently.
In a short moment she is actually ok. But the moment will change within the hour.

My father is 99 and in memory care and slowly deteriorating. Painful to watch especially when he starts to bawl uncontrollably like he realizes whats going on, can’t understand what he says even thou he was fluent in 4 languages. Took him off all his meds except pain relief. This disease is extremely painful to watch and hoping his suffering ends soon…..

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
I'm luckily unfamiliar - when cause of death is listed as Alzheimers, what are the symptoms that caused death? Do vital organs shut down or does one just waste away?

My father in law died from one of the forms of dementia.

We were told, and it was the case with him, that the brain deterioration eventually involves motor function. They have difficulty feeding themselves and swallowing. Food and liquids get aspirated into the lungs, resulting in fatal pneumonia.

The studies say yes, but my aunt that came to live with us was lights on, no one home lived to 93.

Everyone is different.

More genetics and lifestyle, she lived a very healthy lifestyle.

5 years ago today my mom passed away. She had dementia, and it was bad for the last year of her life. She was 89.

Prior to that last year (about 2 years) there were signs, but she was still doing pretty well. I agree with sig2392; everyone is different.

quote:

quote:
Originally posted by Slippery Pete:
Curious what limiting time alone does that is better for the patient. Not hurting their self I take it?

The reason to limit time alone is that they do not realize what they are doing. My late wife was diagnosed with dementia in 2016 (passed away in 2020). As it progressed, she wandered away from the house. Luckily the mailman saw her several blocks away and was able to get her home. Remember the person may do things that they have no idea they are doing - it is the disease and not the person that is controlling their behavior.

One thing people get shocked by is the anger and combative nature that comes out of a dementia patient. They will not remember after the fact but it can get very nasty. The changes in personality is something you just have to accept.