Worried about Disorientation

[mightyducks]

Hi all , I’m concentrating about my Mum , who is nearly 74, she’s always been very sharp of mind but the last two times I’ve been out with her she’s seemed like she’s completely disorientated when we were walking somewhere and telling me we were going the wrong way , but then when I asked her where we should be going, she just said she didn’t know . It was all very out of character and I’m worried she is getting some kind of dementia. She also has hearing loss and after much nagging, went and got some hearing aids but is now refusing to wear them and is cross and angry when I asked her to wear them . It’s all very sad , I am the only relative near by to help her . Any advice appreciated

Were you walking with her in a familiar area?

One was a familiar area and one was not

Hearing loss is a recognised risk for developing dementia, however if the confusion is new and rapid, she might have a UTI.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia/hearing-loss

Getting confused or lost in a familiar area is concerning, and should be checked out.

Will she go to the GP? If not, try to get her in on some benign pretext, blood pressure check, something like that, and alert the GP to your concerns beforehand. They will get the ball rolling.

I hope this resolves for you, OP. I know how worrying this can be.

Definitely look into a potential UTI in the first instance, she’s presenting in a similar way to my grandma when she had them
Equally, don’t hesitate to encourage her to get checked out/flag with the GP

How is she now @mightyducks? Have you managed to get her to the GP?

You have my sympathy over the hearing loss too. My DM woukd not gave them for almost a decade. She had worn them for quite a while now but has developed Dementia and is almost completely Deaf now. It very hard try to communicate with her which just adds to her anxiety

Hi no I have not managed to get her to the GP, I spent the day with her on Saturday but she seemed absolutely fine then so it’s all a bit strange really. It would be extremely hard to get her to the GP, I think she’d have to be dying to go!

I've emailed in my concerns before now to their GP and asked if they can be seen under a pretence like a medication review or a Well Woman Check.

You have to be clear that you don't want to know any of their personal details and list your concerns.