So, Dad--91, Parkinson's, depression, dementia (not quite sure which one) has been in a geriatric psych ward undergoing evaluation. Symptoms include hostility, delusions, short term memory loss. I'm in Michigan, he's in Mass; a couple of weeks ago, I managed to get out to the East Coast on business and visit with him (along with stepmom). It was a very pleasant visit which, three hours later, he had forgotten (and our phone conversations went back to "I don't have a son any more"). Last week, stepmom (along with her sister and niece) also had a very pleasant visit--but, a couple of days later, it was back to the same old phone calls ("Who are you sleeping with?"--although quite a bit more vulgar). He's been on seroquel but they will be changing to zyprexa. Now, I'm not expert, but I'm wondering if the dementia is tied into these two very different personalities--in-person, polite Dad and on-the-phone, paranoid, angry Dad. Any insights?
My Dad has basic memory loss, I haven't seen an upset stage as of yet, hopefully not. But I have noticed that my Dad is much more alert on the phone when I call him, then he is when I am visiting with him.
It is so strange how some of the simplistic things can get my Dad confused. Yet when I was going over the Contract that he got on his house, which is For Sale, he understood everything I was saying... remembered all the places he needed to initial and sign. Go figure.
Some people with dementia can't talk on the phone anymore. Hearing and comprehending and knowing who they're talking to becomes too difficult. It may be the same personality, but with a touch of phone-stress added.