Alzheimer's and dementia are difficult health conditions that do affect younger people. About 110 of every 100,000 adults between ages 30 and 64 have young-onset Alzheimer's. However, the majority of people who have dementia are age 65 and older.

Yeah, even someone without Alzheimer's could want to go home, but live in a care facility due to physical limitations and illness.

We're sorry to hear that you've been experiencing cognitive symptoms, but it's great that you're now getting help from specialists 💜

That's a good point, not everyone is practiced in that type of calculation

That's definitely a possibility, they want to go to a specific place and will do their best to get there

If you look at the test, you will see that the questions and answers are very straightforward

It can be heartbreaking to watch someone you love go through that kind of confusion and fear about their own mind 💔 Thank you for sharing your experience with your grandmother

This is only a screening test, an in-depth medical evaluation is needed to officially diagnose someone with dementia or to determine the root cause of someone's dementia-like symptoms

It's important to discuss the results and your concerns with your primary care doctor. This is only a screening test and can't diagnose any health conditions.

It would be up to their doctor to use testing methods appropriate for the person's abilities

Absolutely, those are wonderful and kind ways to respond!

That's a wonderful way to respond!

Thanks…

Everyone has different preferences so it can take some creativity and experimenting to find activities they enjoy. These suggestions can be used as a starting point to spark new ideas based on what you know your mother-in-law likes.

All she says is yes she do what I ask her then keeps asking why and what for constantly I answer because I need her help she just gives up not interested with anything and she just wants to argue it out

@@sharonwray5498 It sounds like those activities might not be right for her since they don't capture her interest

Absolutely, this is a challenging question to respond to. We hope our suggestions can help.

Thanks, so glad you find them helpful!

So glad these suggestions are helpful!

Thanks for the kind feedback! We're so glad you found our suggestions and examples helpful

It must be tiring to repeatedly help her unpack her things. You may also want to try finding out more about why she's packing up. Ask open ended questions and listen carefully to see if there are clues to what's at the root of her need to go somewhere. That may help you find an intervention that will reduce her packing up behavior. One thing to consider is that it's possible that this is a phase that will pass relatively soon, so if none of the interventions that you've tried are working, you may consider just letting her do it for a while. Another possible idea is (when she's in another room) pack up the bags she typically uses to "leave" with things that she doesn't use (like summer clothes when it's winter). So her bags seem packed up, but there's nothing for you to unpack. Then, try leaving the packed bags in her room where she can easily see them. She might think she already packed and is ready to go. When she wants to leave in the morning, distract her with "let's have breakfast before you go" and then later transition to other enjoyable activities. While she's occupied eating, hide her bags so hopefully she won't remember wanting to leave. After she goes to sleep, quietly put the bags back in her room. It sounds a bit wacky, but might be worth a try to see if it saves some time/energy. Sometimes you won't be able to completely stop the behavior, but you can try to modify it to make things a little easier for yourself.

Don't unpack.

That's a tough question to answer. The way you respond should depend on what you know of her personality and preferences as well as her current cognitive abilities. For example, if you feel that she could still process the information logically and has always been the type of person that wants to know the truth, no matter what, then you might consider telling her the truth. However, if her cognitive abilities are reduced and you feel like an honest answer would only upset her, then you may consider telling a fib or giving a neutral, non-answer type of answer that provides comfort - for example, "it takes time, but the doctor says you're doing fine."

When someone has dementia, it's often helpful to focus on their enjoyment of the present moment rather than building memories. Since she's willing to take part in the activities now, she must be enjoying them at least a little bit. She might still feel sensitive or defensive about her current level of ability, which could explain why she makes those negative comments.

@@dailycaring activities can reduce stress and acting out even if they don't remember doing them. I find it useful to tell my mom that this activity is good to help reduce pain in her hands from arthritis and eliminates the embarassment for her.

It's wonderful that her care community is helping her adjust to her new home and that she's able to get the care and supervision that she needs 💜

It’s so sad that some people have to go live in a strange place with caregivers they don’t know .

You're very welcome! So glad it's helpful

Thank you! We're so glad our articles and tips are helpful.

That's very true, the person does need to be a willing participant. Some people are more likely to take this in a medical office if their doctor asks them to do it as a diagnostic test.

not surprised. try not calling her 'elderly'

@@cattyelse2372 yeah, because I call my grandma elderly. Not. Stupid reply. Lol

It's wonderful that your grandmother feels safe and secure with you. And great to hear that her symptoms have recently been mild.

We hope this helps him get the assistance and support that he needs 💜

This is a wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing 💜

It must have been so scary to not be able to locate your mother! We're so glad that she was eventually found.

Yes, a DNR is a signed medical order written by a doctor. We share more information in this video and in the article the video is based on at dailycaring.com/what-is-a-dnr-do-not-resuscitate/

Thanks! We're so glad our video and article are helpful!

There are many local organizations that support older adults. You might want to start with your local Area Agency on Aging or your city's Department on Aging to find those non-online resources.

it is like ending cash use and post workers telling older people to get their kids or grandkids to do tech for them.Unacceptable.Also many very poor people use cash and are unable to book swims now and older people.as a kid I saw so many really much older people swim but no more...

I don’t want to sound mean, but the world is moving forward and it’s people increasingly want to be online. It’s fine if you want to not use computers, and you will find fewer and fewer people who will want to make accommodations for you. Best wishes

So glad this is helpful!

We're so sorry to hear about this situation. People with dementia may not be aware of their own decline in skills and cognition and that can cause them to resist allowing others to help. It's understandably frustrating for those who care about them, as you do for your mother.

I'm sorry to read about this. But what a specialist once said to us (my mum is on stage 3) was that now it is not the time for them to decide anymore. If she can't live alone and does not like certain things, you should ask yourself: what is more important, her will (declining will, that is) or her safety, security and tranquility? It is us who make the decisions for them. Food for thought.

Mother was finally admitted into a Care Home this August after a fall in June outside her bungalow.She had no recollection of this but we could see that her mobility was becoming increasingly compromised. We called an ambulance and mother , after a long consultation, refused to go into hospital. Two weeks later, after she had seen the doctor and been diagnosed with arthritis, we called the ambulance again due to her deteriorating condition. Mother went to hospital and was found to have fractured a small bone in her spine. Whilst in hospital, she got Covid and was assessed by a Care Home manager. Mother was deemed to be incapable of looking after herself and a Care Home admitted her , 3 weeks later. She died in December 2022 after a short illness surrounded by myself and siblings.

We're sorry to hear about your mother's cognitive decline. It sounds like she's in need of supervision to make sure she doesn't accidentally injure herself.

❤❤❤

Mother went into a Care Home in August 2022. Her decline was rapid and she passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in December 2022. Her long journey was finally over.

It's tough for someone to be aware of their decline 💔

We're so sorry to hear about your mother's dementia. It can be tough when someone is aware of their decline 💔

It's great that you were able to step in and help your mom. You did the best you could with what you knew at the time and the most important thing is that she now has the care she needs.

We hope the suggestions in this video are helpful. For more tips on managing dementia behaviors, check out this section on our website - dailycaring.com/tag/challenging-dementia-behaviors/

We've got a related article with suggestions for those with both vision impairments and dementia. See it here - 9 Engaging Activities for Low Vision Seniors with Alzheimer’s or Dementia dailycaring.com/9-activities-for-low-vision-seniors-with-alzheimers-or-dementia/