Mom's main problem is osteoporosis and arthritis. Lately she has started substituting words - "aisle" for "hallway", "truffle" for "toffee" - things like that, and she is WAY overdoing it on days she knows she has other things she wants to later on - which she has always been careful about conserving her energy for important events. Also, she has gotten irritable a couple of times, which in not like my sweet mother at all. Is this something I should be concerned about? How should I bring this up?
I do the cooking, her bills are paid automatically, but she was unable to get her tax paperwork in order this year. She sent what she thought was required to her accountant, and was horrified when he sent back an exorbitant amount that she owed. I looked at it and told her what I thought she was missing. She called her accountant, he looked at her previous year, and that's what she was missing.
Mom reads constantly - newspapers, novels, whatever she can get her hands on. That has not changed.
Her medications have not changed lately. Her weight has not changed lately. I've noticed more swelling in her ankles, and we're going to get her in to see a cardiologist asap. She's had a quadruple bypass in the past, but a year ago a cardiologist told her her heart was "beautiful".
I will get her checked out for UTI's. Thanks for the idea.
If she's been irritable lately she may recognize that her memory isn't what it once was or she may have noticed a change lately as well.