Older people acting strange do not always have dementia!

[EarlessToothlessVagabond]

It kind of annoys me that this is ALWAYS suggested on threads where anyone over the age of 50-60 who is behaving in an unfortunate or irritating manner. Someone always pops up and says 'dementia?' It seems a lazy and ageist way to explain any 'difficult' behaviour.

Early dementia is quite rare but does cause behavioural changes first often before memory loss.

But quite often it's just that older people can behave badly just as younger people can.

It's the same as the badly-behaved kids all having SN. Possible, but not a given.

For the record, I am almost 60 and do not have dementia. So anything annoying I say is just me.

Hmm. I've just Googled and apparently there are 850,000 people living with dementia in the U.K. That's well over 1 in 10. It's not that unreasonable to to consider the possibility when dealing with an older person who is behaving in an erratic or aggressive manner.

It rather depends on what age one classifies as "an older person", given that anyone who's in their early 60s now doesn't receive a state pension until 66 so may well still be working full time.

Often people who have dementia their behaviour is exacerbated by their dementia so if they were rude and obnoxious anyway it can often be more pronounced with dementia not always but sometimes I worked as a staff nurse in a specialist dementia unit for about six years btw.

Old people are just as able to be twats as anyone too!

I can only speak from our experience with my grandma. She died a few years ago and suffered from diagnosis dementia for the last 10 years of her life. However, in hindsight her behaviour changed as many as 10 years before that. She became would argue black was white and isolated herself from people, making excuses for us not to visit. I think she knew something wasn't quite right and was frightened. She was pretty rude and horrible to people for a while.

FYI an older neighbour showing signs of dementia while in hospital for something else ... one very clever nurse (bless her) realised it was a UTI/kidney infection - they have close symptoms. Obviously dementia is more common but please check for this too!

Over 50??!
50 is the new 30.. some of us have PRIMARY age kids. As a pp said, the erratic behaviour is a mixture of my unpleasant personality and exhaustion. Come back in 25 years with the age related diagnoses please.

And some people over 50/60 are really lovely - helpful, kind, funny, professional, useful etc etc...

I'm in my 50s and and I like bananas.

Going. Boone

This is what I mean. Older + problematic behaviour = dementia for some people! Early onset is still relatively unusual and j get that changes can start early but it's mostly just an assumption people seem to make? Yes older people are just as likely to be annoying bastards because they are annoying bastards the same as any other age.

Yep - and 'challenging' kids don't always have autism or ADHD - as so many seem to suggest on mumsnet.

Best not to diagnose without professional expertise.
And 'old people' at 50/60? Hardly

And some of us are cantankerous, judgemental and shallow. Just like you youngsters. Sometimes because of you.
Always worth wondering why someone is unpleasant though.

On MN (and only on MN) The Odd Behaviour Reasons List
Age 0-20 - SN
Age 20-50 - MH issues
Age over 50 - dementia.

"God help the poor and needy" as my dad used to say!

That nice President Kennedy has let himself go, hasn't he? Jacqui hasn't aged at all! Must be the Vim.

My dad started exhibiting strange symptoms that made me worry he had dementia..he did in fact have a brain tumour.

FuzzyCustard you have nailed the MN diagnosis list!

I don't think people at 50/60 are old at all! Some on MN do hence the 'is it dementia cry when someone's being a shite at 50+

One of the great joys of getting to the other side of 50 is the sheer liberation of being able to please yourself and not fret what others think/whether you're odd/whether your wearing the right clothes. That doesn't mean dementia.
Very few people in their 50s and 60s show signs of dementia. Most 70 year olds are dementia free. Many are working as cardiothoracic surgeons, oncologists, barristers and judges, MPs, senior military officers, vets, teachers, nurses and university lecturers.

Whilst I have nursed people in their 50,s and 40,s even with dementia it's very uncommon most of the people on my unit were in their 80,s

My fil signs of dementia turned out to be a uti that he had had for 6 months.

Why was that comment deleted? Was it too sweary for the young 'uns?

👃