Help/advice on elderly parent losing inhibitions

[Polll18]

All good ideas appreciated. My mother has been slowly, gradually but definitely showing a loss of inhibition in conversation - less discreet about personal information, more strong language. She has now mentioned that she crossed the street in her pyjamas, to see a planning notice on the house opposite. This is only a little beyond her normal behaviour - I put out my bins in my pyjamas myself, if it's early enough in the morning.

My question is about practical solutions. She has a lot of company, good friends who live nearby and visit a lot, but all her children, me included, live abroad and she lives alone. I think someone living with her would slow down the loss of inhibition by being a reminder of 'normal' social standards.

Apart from the practical question of finding someone to live in, we have been trying for a year but no luck, has anyone experience of whether it would do the trick? And all other good ideas welcomed.

Were you informed by her friends about this deterioration in her social behaviours?.

Having someone live with her full time is going to be very expensive financially and she could well now need a higher level of care than what a sole person could provide. Also there is the possibility that she could not tolerate anyone living with her.

Has anyone contacted her GP or Social Services re her current state of mind?. She could have an assessment re her current care needs.

Do you think that dementia could be a possible cause here for her lack of inhibition?.

Thanks Attila. We, her children, notice it because we visit and we all chat with her on the phone nearly daily. Her friends do see it too.

It's not quite dementia (yet) . She has well and truly been assessed, not just by her GP but by a geriatric team, and received treatment for all physical ailments. This is in a way neither a mental nor physical illness but lack of social support.

Your point is exactly right, of course she would not like just anyone living with her, it would have to be trial and error to find someone who suits her, and who she suits. No luck so far. I am interested if anyone has had the experience of actually doing this, and how it went.

She doesn't need help washing dressing shopping or cooking, so we are not (yet) talking about a professional carer charging an hourly rate.

It is still possible in principle to think about a lodger, doing this in lieu of rent, rather than a carer. This could be a student (a very sensible student, whose parents we would stay in touch with); a young person in their first job in the town. Again, I would really love to know if anyone has done this and how it is working out.