Not yet diagnosed and not sure I belong here

kathy1958

My 68 year old DH has symptoms that I’m not sure are a form of dementia. He has been to a neurologist and is scheduled to have testing by a neuropsychologist in March. For about a year my DH has been scammed by people online. He has sent several thousand dollars by getting apple gift cards. I had to take his debit and credit card away from him. This past week he told me that he has been talking to Elon Musk and he’s giving him a Tesla but he has to pay a $50 delivery fee. There is no convincing him that these people aren’t real and he’s being scammed. Our boys have talked to him and so have I along with his Dr. His grooming habits have changed and he only showers and shaves once or twice a week. It’s completely out of character for him. He got very angry because I wouldn’t give him money for the Tesla. He has a good memory, but I have noticed a few simple tasks that he couldn’t do. I’m afraid the test he has in March won’t diagnose him due to his good memory. Has anyone else experienced this with a loved one?

H1235

Welcome. My moms memory has never been the issue. It took me way to long to realize something wasn’t right. The things you are describing are pretty common. My mom really struggles with executive functioning. Another common symptom is anosognosia. This is the inability to recognize symptoms or limitations. Our loved ones can become resentful and angry because we are taking all their independence away. It’s a rough one. Lack of empathy and trouble finding words is also common. When mom had her first quick evaluation with her pcp it showed no problems. After the 2 hour cognitive evaluation the neurologist said she was not safe to drive and should no longer live alone. Dementia is an umbrella term. There are a few different types of dementia. The one we hear about most is Alzheimer’s and one of the most prominent symptoms is memory loss. My mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia. So he may be diagnosed with a dementia other than Alzheimer’s. Dementia symptoms can vary a bit depending on the type and to be honest even with the person. Regardless of the specific type of dementia he might be diagnosed with you are welcome here. I will attach a few resources that might be helpful.

DBAT.pdf

Anosognosia and Dementia - AgingCare.com.pdf

kathy1958

Thank you so much for sharing your situation about your mom. I didn’t realize that memory is not always the problem. The PDF’s you included provide great information and I really appreciate you including those. He goes for the cognitive testing on Mar 16. We just saw his neurologist this week and he was so angry when we left. He said there is nothing wrong with me and I don’t need any testing, my memory is fine. I told him I agree his memory is fine and just left it at that. Praying they recognize something is wrong during the test. Thanks again for all the information!