My DM is 78. My DSD died 9 years ago, and so she recently moved house to be nearer to me - she used to live 200 miles away, but is now just 2 miles away in a retirement apartment complex. Mum is fit and well, physically active, very independent and very sociable. Relentlessly chatty, cheery and positive and full of beans.
Her short term memory, however, is showing some significant deterioration. She is very "busy", flitting from one social activity to the next - she lives out of her diary and she doesn't tend to miss appointments or anything. But she admits that she often can't remember if she's eaten breakfast or lunch and has to study the kitchen carefully to try and work it out; she says she wakes sometimes and doesn't recognise her room; she can't remember anything she's already told me and whilst the occasional repeat is natural, she'll repeat things 2 or 3 times in a matter of hours. There are certainly things she'll tell me very time I see her.
She is starting to struggle to find words she wants - she doesn't use the wrong word, she just can't remember the right one. Similar with names. I reassure her that if she doesn't rush and just allows herself a minute, the words will come and they invariably do.
She told me today that she was aware that her memory is failing, and I said that as she was still perfectly able to get herself up, and was remembering to wash and put clothes on and go about her day, I didn't think she should be too concerned. But there is some history in the family - her sister, who is about 73, is currently in full time care with senile dementia, and her brother had alzheimers and died in his 70's. Their mother (my grandmother) went senile in her late 60's.
What should I do? I don't want to frighten her and suggest an assessment with the GP. Are there any coping strategies that might help her? She has already arranged POAs, she is very organised but she obviously believes she's headed down that path...