Vascular dementia

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

I'm extremely afraid my dad has this. Do any of your parents have this?

I'm sick with worry. He lives 200 miles away.

Anyone?

Not my parent but my uncle (my aunt's husband) has it. He is in his early 60s and was formally diagnosed about 2 years ago. He had been behaving oddly for some time before hand. It affects him by making him need to be constantly moving around and so he would go on these mega walks which would end up with him getting hopelessly lost. At least he was able to use his mobile phone as he would ring my aunt & she would have to go & find him using his vague directions. He has also lost any sense of social tact so will comment freely about whatever occurs to him. He has now sadly had to go into a residential care home as he was found wandering along a railway track & also would wander into schools. It us the best place for him as they can deal with his needs which my aunt can't. He is over 6ft & she is only 5ft and there is no way she can restrain him. He was becoming a danger to himself & others and this was the best solution. He is very happy there although does keep asking my aunt when he's going home.

What makes you think your dad has it?

So many things. He has been treated for severe depression lately (inpatient stay), he was diagnosed anti-psychotics, he is forgetful about routes and where he has put things which caused his anxiety to go off the scale (my mum used to shout and sigh at him over these things), he has lost his sense of humour, he can't follow conversations. All these could be attributed to the depression, but last week he had what seemed to be a mini stroke and then a fairly major seizure. He is back in hospital now waiting for the MRI (today). He is 69, which seems horribly young for such a thing. There are all sorts of complications arising such as him never having designating an anyone with power of attorney and never having formalising his will. I live a long way away and am travelling there every couple of weeks for a few nights each time, but come the summertime I will not be able to do this and I am very worried about how my mum will cope. She doesn't cope well with ill people.

My Dad had it even younger, I am afraid. He was 66 but had been a heavy smoker which the doc said contributed to a series of mini strokes. He was very confused and it was obvious something was wrong. It was properly diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Not long after diagnosis he fell in the street, broke a hip and never left hospital. He died several months later. There were other medical issues too, so the vas dem was not all to blame. It was a difficult time, though. I would try for as much community health involvement as
possible.

I'm so far away. It's awful. He hasn't been diagnosed yet, to be fair. If it is that, I can't help wanting it all to be over quickly for him. He's in a right state.

My mum had vascular dementia. I don't think it makes you deteriorate as rapidly as Alzheimer's. My mum had it for several years and although her short term memory went she never forgot who her immediate family were which was very comforting. Good luck to you and your dad.