My mom really showed dementia when my dad had a heart attack July 2015. Neurologist did scans and said she had lost brain cells at a rate equal to her age. We have been down a rocky road. I have care in the home mainly in the day and weekends. I stay weeknights 5-8pm mainly. Mom has REALLY progressed in a worse manner. In the last month she has fell about 5 times due to balance. Mom mumbles more than speaks, eats differently by often sucking on her food. She has begun occasionally getting up at night too. I am perplexed. Her mumbling truly gets on my dads nerves. Has anyone seen progression this fast?
My Mom went from being fairly sharp for someone of 98 to late stage dementia within a couple of weeks due to fall that caused major head trauma. Scans showed a current brain bleed and also a brain bleed that was healing, a fall with hitting her head earlier on.... which I didn't know about.
Stress can also make one not think clearly. I remember when my Dad had his heart attack, my Mom was in denial that it was a heart attack.... heavens she didn't want anyone to know what happened, otherwise the neighbors might think she wasn't a good wife taking care of her husband.... [sigh]. Mom didn't want nurses or physical therapist in the house, as the neighbors might wonder about the strange cars in the driveway.