Does anyone have any knowledge of Alzheimers?

[pagan queen]

I have just spent the day with my mum and dad and things were a bit weird to say the least. My dad has been acting odd on and off for some time and has even mentioned to his GP that he is worried he forgets things sometimes. The GP just dismissed it as old age.

I'll give you a quick example or 2 of his problems.

I mentioned I had seen a sign about the Olympic torch heading their way soon.

My dad then said. "I know the bloke who is carrying that, I work with him (he retired years ago) where is it now, I go there every day, can't remember the name of the place now, where I work, what's the blokes name, Billy is it? He lives in eastenders, Billy Nitchell, no Mitchell, that's him. I know him I work with him, ahh I can't remember the name of it now. What's the torch for anyway?"

The other day he was asking me about his phone for the umpteenth time. He has recently had his sky upgraded and now has 2 connections in his phone socket, I have explained so many times what the second one is for.

He said, "I've got 2 phones, no not phones, those things in the wall, eerrmm, them tickets in the wall, am I paying for 2 phones? Why have I got 2 tickets in the wall now when I only had 1 before?

He meant plugs of course. And recently I couldn't get though to them on the phone, he had unplugged one of the lines.

Also recently he rung up saying he couldn't get his sky TV to work. I was on the phone for half an hour trying to get him to turn off his box to reboot it. He just couldn't understand what I was talking about. So my husband had a go and tried to tell him to unplug the TV from the wall. My dad just couldn't work out what he meant by the socket that supplies the power to the sky box no matter how he tried to word it. He wouldn't let my mum do it as he was saying she was doing it wrong and getting a bit overwrought. In the end we had to drive over, an hour and a half away, to unplug his box and plug it back in again. Then drive all the way home again.

Does any of this sound like alzheimers? (sp)

[Jess222]

Hi, its hard to tell whether it is alzheimers or just a bit of confusion...you need to chat to your mum and see if she agrees and i would suggest if she does she should pop to the GP as there are services like the memory clinic and they can do tests and stuff for alzheimers...should he get clumsy or aggresive and be at risk of hurting himself then social services could help but thats really a last resort. Dont let the gp brush it under the carpet, go with them if you can and reinforce what they're telling him/her. Hope this helps x

[ClareandCo]

I have sent you a pm.

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Jess222

Hi, its hard to tell whether it is alzheimers or just a bit of confusion...you need to chat to your mum and see if she agrees and i would suggest if she does she should pop to the GP as there are services like the memory clinic and they can do tests and stuff for alzheimers...should he get clumsy or aggresive and be at risk of hurting himself then social services could help but thats really a last resort. Dont let the gp brush it under the carpet, go with them if you can and reinforce what they're telling him/her. Hope this helps x

That's the really sad thing. My mum just thinks he's being ignorant. He asks her a question and 2 minutes later he asks the same thing again and again. She tells me he just doesn't listen to her and that's why he keeps asking the same thing all the time. My mum said she wants to walk out because he is driving her mad. I saw my dad just sitting looking lost and vacant and felt so sorry for him, he just seems to find the world confusing.

[Mrs Frog]

He could be very stressed or feeling unwell in some other way,hope you get answers soon,how old is he?

[Jess222]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

That's the really sad thing. My mum just thinks he's being ignorant. He asks her a question and 2 minutes later he asks the same thing again and again. She tells me he just doesn't listen to her and that's why he keeps asking the same thing all the time. My mum said she wants to walk out because he is driving her mad. I saw my dad just sitting looking lost and vacant and felt so sorry for him, he just seems to find the world confusing.

are you able to contact his GP?

[pagan queen]

He is 78. I have contacted the surgery and spoke to a receptionist explaining the problem and said we weren't happy with the GPs response. She told me to get my mum to ring for an appointment with a new GP who is starting in a weeks time. She said he has been working as a locum and is a very good doctor.

[Watermelon]

Hi Wendy,

My grandad has alzheimers, its got quite bad now and he doesn't remember me anymore. Hes living in a home which I know isn't nice but its the best thing for him as it isnt safe anymore him living by himself. When he was deteriorating he would send people birthday cards at christmas and christmas cards in summer. He also used to send love letters to my grandma despite the fact they divorced over 30 years ago and he had had a sex change shortly after. Yes he is now a woman now called Jenny!

Feel free to message me or anything. How long has this been going on for? Has he been having strange mood swings too? I really hope for you that is isn't alzhiemers. If he goes to the doctor and the doctor dismisses it again, go to a different doctor to see if they have a different opinion. x

[nooddle]

Hi there. I trained as a nurse so have some experience working with the elderly, including patients with different forms of dementia. I would say it is worth asking for him to be tested for a urinary infection, I have worked with a lot of old people who do strange things and act very confused when they have a UTI.

I agree with Soph though, maybe try a different doctor for a second opinion if you are getting nowhere with his current GP. Hope this helps.

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by nooddle

Hi there. I trained as a nurse so have some experience working with the elderly, including patients with different forms of dementia. I would say it is worth asking for him to be tested for a urinary infection, I have worked with a lot of old people who do strange things and act very confused when they have a UTI.

I agree with Soph though, maybe try a different doctor for a second opinion if you are getting nowhere with his current GP. Hope this helps.

He's been like this and getting worse for quite some time now, well over a year maybe even longer, I'm not sure if my mum has been honest with me. If he has a UTI he's had it an awful long time.