Talking gibberish

Cate2024

My DH is Stage 6 b/c. Physically fit. But he is mostly incoherent, attempting to tell me something or ask me something. I used to be able to figure out what he meant, but very recently I truly have no idea what he is saying. He gets very frustrated with me. Impossible to redirect. We came back from taking our dogs to the groomers and he doesn't know who one of the dogs are, believing we somehow left ours behind. Conversation is like with a toddler.

annie51

I am having the same issue with my DH who is also in Stage 6. It’s so frustrating for both of us. If he’s asking a question, I try to come up with something to say even if I have no idea what he means. Sometimes I think too long and he gets angry because I didn’t answer him. Conversations are hopeless. I wish I could give some sage advice but all I can offer is empathy.

Chris20cm

DW is also in stage 6 with similar communication issues. She asks if we have two dogs. She asks what their names are. She asks who our grandchildren's parents are. She asks the same question hundreds of times, often just seconds apart. Sometimes I just don't answer and she forgets what she was asking. I don't even worry anymore about giving accurate answers, what does it matter? Short term memory and cognitive skills are gone. Out of sight, out of mind. If she doesn't see both dogs, she thinks we only have one. I am going to get her on a wait list for memory care. Ten years is enough. I am out of patience.

tonyac2

My DH can yell at the top of his lungs (any time of day or night) Mother!!, Mom!! When I come he asks me what I want. What I want is to strangle you sometimes. He talks a lot of gibberish as well, also gets angry when I can’t follow the conversation. He thinks we have two dogs as well. We only have one. Conveniently they look identical. I asked him what the other dogs name is, he says Wolf. I said, that’s a neat name, I like it. He says, you should, you named him. Ha!

Biggles

Goodness gracious how strange we are all in the same boat. My DH constantly asks where is the other dog? We only have one so I say the other one was his life-size comforter toy puppy with a beating heart he had when he was a new puppy. He also suffers with Aphasia so word salad. I often have no idea what he is trying to say but I feel so much for him we used to talk, discuss, exchange thoughts and ideas I miss that so much. I’m becoming an expert on facial expression's, nodding in the appropriate spots and saying things like Humm you could be right, really? and anything else I can think of and I often don’t know what we are talking about. I try to smile, laugh and finish with a kiss. It helps, it’s that or cry. Don’t be too hard on yourself or your partner remember they are broken.

annie51

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/247108#Comment_247108

Thanks for the kiss idea. Too often, I end up in tears of sadness - it comes so quickly I can’t control it.