This confuses me

JM27

Hello everyone,

Has anyone else experienced this with their LO. Today my father with moderate to severe dementia wakes up and calls his sister and has a conversation like normal almost without dementia. He was able to give details of things he’s done and elaborate on certain things.

This confuses me because I don’t understand how some days he is completely out of it and we can never have a conversation to how he goes to this? Sometimes when this happens I question what am I doing keeping him here when all he want is to go home. I know I really can’t let him be alone. But it’s perplexing to me.

MaryEllenDaughter

sounds like my Dad, he can be so clear, then not.

fmb

It is truly a mystery how sometimes the brain synapses suddenly start firing correctly for a period of time. Sometimes it is 'showtiming', when for a short period of time, the PWD can appear almost normal for other people, especially those they want to impress. They expend a lot of mental energy doing this, and it nearly always shows later in reduced energy and cognition.

There is also a phenomenon called 'paradoxical lucidity' where for hours or even days the PWD suddenly has much more energy and is at a much higher level of cognition. My DH (late State 7) did this for about three weeks last month. He went from sleeping most of the time and speaking only "yeah" and "no" to having conversations, making jokes, even initiating conversations, and staying awake much more. Unfortunately, this appears to have been what is known as 'terminal lucidity', as he is now rapidly declining.

JM27

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/230911#Comment_230911

Hi Fmb,

so I did notice he is out of energy and not very talkative now. So that makes complete sense. Thank you for sharing that helps me understand a lot more.

Sending peace to you and your loved one.

Victoriaredux

And, this is why it is so important to be on the watch for when it is time to step in and take over all their finances , using the right legal tools of course .

If a scammer gets them on an "on day" and has a record of how "with it" they were - boom, cleaned out. It seems harsh to restrict access and freedoms but it is such an unpredictable disease and the stakes are so high.

JM27

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/230936#Comment_230936

Hi,

Yes thank you for the advice. Luckily my father lost his phone last year. I did get him a new one and changed the number and put parental restrictions on. Before with the other phone he was getting onto everything on the internet putting his information credit card number ect. And the phone was ringing off the hook with scammers.

Now only family has the number and he doesn’t have access to the internet. So thankful for that.

Tetonman