Difficulties with cognition and dysphasia that aren't dementia related?

[Thepineapplemystery]

I'm worried about my mum. She's 60. She has word finding difficulties (expressive dysphasia) which have increased in the last 3 years and she now uses the incorrect word unknowingly. For example at Christmas she said "your sisters bringing the faucet over" when she meant plate. She only realised due to my look of confusion. She also has difficulty switching from task to task and keeping lots of things in her head. If you interrupt her whilst she's doing a task, she really struggles to understand or retain what you've told her or respond appropriately. This is in stark.contrast to PIL and friends mum, all of the same age (the only 60yos I know).

She's on the young side for dementia, though I realize it's possible (I work in the field) and we have a family history of dementia, but much later onset (80 for my gran, 78 for my great nan). They also presented with different symptoms.

As I work with dementia patients it's all I see. Does anyone else have experience of other things it could be? I've tried talking to my mum about this, but she won't hear of it and won't see the GP currently.

Has she ever suffered a head injury, it could be a number of things like a brain injury, mental health, medication, alcohol, stress, early dementia, if she won't see a doctor then there is not much you can do. I wouldn't interrupt her when she is doing something and she could write down what needs doing and tick them off as she does them.

Could also be stroke related, or to be fair, a number of other neurological causes.
Could you check whether she had had a review of risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes to ensure she is on any preventative measures for common risk factors. That might present an avenue for you to ask for advice about the dysphasia and cognitive changes you have noticed.
I can understand that she might want to bury her head in the sand, but if it could be framed as wanting to show any decline or get on top of any issues to allow her to continue to live independently and safely for as long as possible.
Occupational therapy would help with this, but you if she is receptive to a grown up conversation about this, you could check how she is going with household management, and put supportive measures in place now so they are familiar as the years go on

I had this - was even referred to a neurologist as it often but not always combined with migraines, and the GP was worried about the memory lapses and thought I may possibly have had a head injury. I also had a weird variation which I think is called aphasia, where I would do things like put milk in the cupboard and cereal in the fridge, or leave my front door keys in the kitchen and take my mug out with me.

I actually had anaemia (from fibroids) and vitamin B and vitamin D3 deficiencies and as soon as they were at optimum levels (fun fact: nowhere near the levels the NHS classes as ‘normal range’) both the migraines and the dysphasia disappeared.

@HideRanger

I had this - was even referred to a neurologist as it often but not always combined with migraines, and the GP was worried about the memory lapses and thought I may possibly have had a head injury. I also had a weird variation which I think is called aphasia, where I would do things like put milk in the cupboard and cereal in the fridge, or leave my front door keys in the kitchen and take my mug out with me.

I actually had anaemia (from fibroids) and vitamin B and vitamin D3 deficiencies and as soon as they were at optimum levels (fun fact: nowhere near the levels the NHS classes as ‘normal range’) both the migraines and the dysphasia disappeared.

Interesting.

My mum has a big important job which she appears to be very good at.

I do wonder if it's dietary, as she's vegan but not very good with watching what she eats.

I was also vegetarian at the time, hence the vitamin B deficiency!