Vascular Dementia

[crazycatguy]

I am the carer for my 92yo grandmother despite the fact we live quite a distance apart by mere virtue of being the sole surviving relative in the country.

She has, this week, been diagnosed with vascular dementia, and whereas I understand the diagnosis, all I understand of the prognosis is that it just gets worse. Is this a steady decline? Are there things I should be preparing to deal with?

TIA.

Your best resource is the Alzheimer's Society and AgeUK. Both have excellent phone line help and leaflets. With Any form of dementia there is no one size fits all. A lot depends on her general health and social support that your Grandmother receives.

I think your priority is to make sure she is safe. Do this by contacting the elderly person unit at her LA to make them aware of the diagnosis. Ask for a needs assessment to check if carers are required. If you can visit try to gather her financial information as they will need to do a financial assessment. Carers have to be paid for. Sometimes the whole bill is paid by the LA sometimes the person makes a contribution. If you don't live close by it is better to do this through the Independent Livimg Agency, who administer the payments and liaise between care agency and LA. Possibly she will be granted Attendance Allowance. You can complete the form on line. Try to get a list of prescriptions as this helps with the grant.

If you have PoA now is the time to activate it. Practical steps are to get her a personal Alarm, A key box and think about having her post redirected so that you can look after her bills, financial needs and medical appointments.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. I have already done most of what you suggested as this has been quite a long process and neither of us are particularly shocked by the diagnosis. They still believe her to have capacity, so although we have a PoA, her financial institutions will not permit me to act without a doctor's note (and for her sake it is best she keeps as independent as possible).

I will get onto the websites that you mentioned - thank you.