I work for my Uncle who is 82. I am also his power of attorney. In the past year he has really started to slip mentally. Every month his business loses more money than he pays me. He does not want to deal with the problems or work to fix anything. I have tried over and over to make suggestions. He just wants to come to work every day and make his phone calls. His partners have recently got short with him on the phone because he is so forgetful. Customers roll their eyes at him when he is not looking. He needs to retire. He is bad at his job, but he won't listen to anyone. He just yells at everyone else and blames them. I am just waiting for the day he gets lost going home or is unable to tell what time or day it is before I begin taking over for him. Any suggestions for me? I feel bad that I am hoping he get's worse, but he is very stubborn and will not listen to reason. I hope this happens before he goes bankrupt.
A good home test for memory deficit is what I call Vehicle-Color-Fruit. Just have a good casual conversation with him, telling you heard about this joking you want to ask in the question, then say for example Taxi, Blue, Apple and tell him you're going to ask him to repeat that in a couple of minutes. Do something distracting for a couple of minutes, then ask him to repeat the words. If he can't, there is some indication of memory impairment. Some memory impairment is not dementia and can be corrected nutritionally or hormonally in the early stages, so it there's getting a handle on as soon as possible.
Please keep posting...
"Recast" your uncle and give him responsibilities that remove him from any fiscal responsibility. Perhaps he just works in the front office.
Does he have a wife or children? Send him on a long and extended holiday.