Hello Im new here and have read a few stories and realized I can relate to alot of this and thought my issue was unique... First let me say I love my grandpa or popaw as ive called him my entire life... and dementia is a cruel joke to play on someone like him... Hes gone from a carefree joking and cutting up kinda guy to someone who only says a few words and uses the bathroom on himself.... My poor grandmother is at her wits end.... Ive moved in with them to help lighten the load and do the things he used to do around the house.... But my question is how can i get him to start using the toilet like a normal person and to start talking to us and stop saying "I dont know" when you ask him something or try and talk to him... And when my grandmother scolds him for going on himself he just laughs at her and we both know he cant help it at all but it still hits you wrong you know... Any help or suggestions please Im at a loss...
Conversations...my father likes to tell stories. The stories he used to tell when he was normal, is now different. It keeps changing. He no longer remembers the Real event. If I ask a complicated question, he would say, "I don't know." Because he really doesn't know. You can try it. I ask father multiple question and he doesn't know how to answer. Example, do you want to eat this with this or that with that or this and that (3 choices.) He has a lost look and can't answer. Even with 2 choice questions - he's confused. So, now I keep it simple. "Dad, are you hungry?" I do not ask what does he want to eat because he will sit there and think forever on it. And I don't have time. So, I ask him, "Do you want soup with so and so and vegetable?" He will 99.9 percent say yes.
I have also noticed that if I talk normally (which is fast), he has a lost look. So, I have to talk slowly so that he understands what I'm saying. But don't make it long sentences. Keep it short and simple. I hope this helps you...