Worried about my mum- could this be early dementia?

[ClicheMichey]

My mum doesn’t seem to listen. I have been getting quite frustrated with her, but I’m beginning to get concerned.

Her speech also is getting very ‘old’ and stuttery.

It’s things like telling her I’m off to Tesco, she’ll ask later how I got on in Asda. She tells a story and gets names muddled up. She’s also started jumping between stories, halfway through sentences.

I’m worried more typing that.

Well, I've only experienced Alzheimer's and the changes are a bit more profound than that - forgetting the route to somewhere, constant repetition, getting timelines muddled, thinking they live somewhere else.

How old is she and what's her diet like? Some deficiencies can cause a bit of brain fog like that.

It could be but there are some conditions that can cause similar symptoms such as a UTI, B12 deficiency, vitamin D deficiency or a thyroid issue.

www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/diseases-like-alzheimers#1

I’ve never been more relieved to say her diet is awful. She eats like an unsupervised 9 year old. She’s 63.

How old is your mum? Menopause can cause foggy thinking and memory loss. My experience is with vascular dementia and like a pp said, the signs 8 years before diagnosis were far more obvious. Maybe ask her if she is worried about it.

Haha, unsupervised 9 year old! I wouldn't panic overly about dementia at this stage, 63 would be quite young (although my aunt certainly started then). Maybe a little check up would be in order, some bloods to check for vitamin deficiencies?

UTI again tends to generate more profound confusion, not odd speech patterns or losing the way during conversation. My mum was already well m into Alzheimer's but when she had a UTI, she'd ask me if I'd managed to get the boat moored up alright, or whether my father (who left in 1972) was coming back with some tea. It was generally easier to go along with her, it was hilarious when my "acting" didn't match her delusions. She thought I was losing it.

I'm the same with my mum, she's only 60 and everyone else is convinced that she just doesn't listen.

She will ask you the same question within the space of half an hour at worst and at best the same questions she asked when you last spoke. When you say "you've already asked me that" she doesn't seem to recognise that. She is a bit of an arrogant woman so her not listening is not beyond the realms of possiblity but it just feels off to me.

I have noticed her deliberately not doing it with certain people. But I don’t know if you should have to concentrate to listen to people?

How is her hearing? Is she not hearing you properly and guessing what you are saying?

A lot of people are in denial about hearing loss so a hearing test would be worth doing. Urine test to rule out UTI.

In my experience the age and the signs did in fact lead to dementia unfortunately. Diagnosed in their 60's.
Early signs weren't profound and it was years of people being concerned and being told memory loss is just a sign of ageing. Also the person knew things weren't right and was doing their best to hide it.
The only thing that can be done is to get the person to a Dr and they can refer for memory tests etc. But obviously during this current pandemic it's not a great time and its also getting the person to agree to go.
It could however be a number of other things including uti. It is a tricky situation and I feel for you as I remember the worry very well.

My mum has started to get muddled and confused and has times when she really struggles to find words and gets very forgetful. This has come on quick. Do you think this could be the effect of being locked down??