My mother-in-law is in her early 60's (62?) and is an educated woman. She was a psychiatric nurse and taught school aged kids after school with all kinds of studies. She is retired and hasn't taught kids for maybe 4 or 5 years now. She worries a lot and is anxious about most things. I don't think she has a lot going on for herself and spends most of her time puttering around her husband. Sometimes she doesn't make a lot of sense when she talks, for example, she will jump into conversations and trail off on topics that have nothing to do with the conversation. She means well and is sweet, but something seems off cognitively. Recently, she wrote me a long email and the sentences are all mixed up. She starts off making sense, but then it goes into a completely different topic that has nothing to do with the beginning of the sentence. It seems like her brain is ahead of her writing or she is struggling to make sense when she writes. The ironic thing is she is telling me how she has such expertise and smarts. That her "brain is so advanced that people don't understand her", yet her email is very difficult to follow and comprehend. I know she is accomplished and taught school aged kids english and writing, so this seems weird that she can't keep sentences together. Is this a sign of dementia or something else? I am concerned about her health and I see us as a potential caregiver in the future so this worries me a lot. Everyone else thinks she's just weird and it's normal "for her", but this can't be normal? What do you think? Thank you :)
Give your husband time. You have made him aware of the possibility. Meanwhile
Check this out and see if it rings true. It sounds like aphasia. Here is a link. It can sometimes be caused by a stroke but not always. It doesn't mean she has dementia. When she goes for evaluation make sure she goes to the best neurologist you can find. Come back and let us know what you find out.
She was diagnosed with dementia several years ago. She would not remember the test Immediatly after taking it. There are many manifestations and types of dementia. I don't blame you for being concerned.
She was diagnosed with dementia several years ago. She would not remember the test after taking it. There are many manifestations and types of dementia. I don't blame you for being concerned.