Non verbal behavior

426Cuda

Hi, new to this site. My loving partner of 41 years was officially diagnosed with dementia 09/21 while in the hospital due to alcohol induced pancreatitis. He also has Sundowners and it was explained to me that he used alcohol to calm himself down. We have just started the dementia journey as he has had a high level assessment at a dementia clinic. The next appointment in January will be the doctor reviewing the assessment and ordering tests, of which a brain MRI will be done. I don''t expect to have a type of dementia diagnosis until February or March of 2022. Hospital & home health care staff were great at teaching me several thing to deal with his behavior. I currently keep three logs at the requests of his doctors and our Elder Law attorney. Blood pressure, behavior, and caregiver activities. My question today is do dementia patients sometimes just non-verbally attempt to indicate what they want? Specifically, 4 days ago Dave put a small flashlight on the middle of the kitchen counter. I moved it aside. The next day it was back on the middle of the counter. Again, I moved it aside. The next day it was back. I turned it on but the batteries were dead. I removed the batteries, set it aside and put batteries in the battery charger. This morning it was back on the middle of the counter. I put the charged batteries in the flashlight and place it on the end table next to his chair without saying a word. Not once did he ask if we had fresh batteries for the flashlight. Normally, if he thinks something isn''t working correctly he will ask for help. This, I found strange. Thanks in advance for your support. I'm learning this is not an easy journey.

zauberflote

Cuda, welcome, and I'm sorry you have to be here. Your story is odd, and may even have some humor in it if you ever played some silly game about things on the counter with him. I think you won't know if the dead battery issue was it until tomorrow morning.

426Cuda

zauberflote, God bless you for pointing out the potential humor that I totally missed!  That is a lesson for me unto itself.  Hmm, I wonder what will be on the counter tomorrow morning.

Sarai

Welcome Cuda. Sounds like our dementia discovery is similar.  DH had an alcohol induced fall in April and broke 7 ribs. During all of the tests while he was hospitalized they discovered brain atrophy.  The last 8 months have been quite a medical journey.  Neuropsychologist performed tests last week and we get the diagnosis tomorrow.  God bless you. This is a wonderful place to be supported, gain information or just vent. You are not alone.