New to ALZConnected - parent suspected to have ALZ

saheimbuch

Hello All!
My 74 yr old dad is concerned that he has ES ALZ because he "feels foggy" all the time and couldn't remember how to get to a specific place on a lake he visits 1x per year. While I have concerns that his memory is slipping, I am not sure it's ALZ or typical age related memory loss. He is extremely sharp and seems to remember appointments and still does well with his finances. His mother had ALZ and was first diagnosed at 74 so I think there is fear as well as concern. Any advice on how to continue to support him as we go through the process of visiting a doctor for testing? Any experience with Omega 3 vitamins helping with the fog? Thanks in advance!

H1235

Here are some things I noticed with my mom before diagnosis. Poor judgment, personally changes, short attention span, reasoning, confusion, lack of filter in social situations, lack of empathy, inability to recognize symptoms, trouble with finances. I have attached a staging tool that may be helpful. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6372d16ea4e02c7ce64425b7/t/63f7b80d80d8aa3e3aa4a47d/1677178894184/DBAT.pdf

M1

Welcome to the forum. In my experience, those who are worried about their memory are usually okay, and it's the ones who are oblivious who are more likely to be in real trouble. There are exceptions of course. Glad he's willing to be tested. Hope that continues, as he may need to be monitored serially.

​fesk

My mother was aware something was wrong before all of us. She was very concerned. It was very early in the process. I would trust what your father is saying. It is probably making him very anxious. When we started noticing the issue with my mother, she no longer really did. She continued on progressing without awareness - a blessing for her really.

You don't mention if your father is living alone or how often you see him. If he does live alone, I recommend staying with him for a week or so. That may reveal some things you aren't aware of. Also, early on my mother's issues weren't as noticeable in her own home. It became more apparent if she was staying somewhere else. Perhaps, your father could visit you?

It sounds like you are already supporting him. Continue to do so - my mother's decline was slow, so we made small adjustments as she progressed to enable her to continue to do as much as she could for as long as she could. Healthy diet, exercise (walking), socialization should all prove helpful.

As for Omega 3, my mother took that for years. Wait to see what the doctor recommends. It could have a blood thinning effect and it might not be suitable for your father. Instead of supplements, maybe add salmon, etc. to his diet.