step down symptoms of vascular dementia

Siobhan21 · December 2024

Hi, my mom was diagnosed 9 years ago with vascular dementia. She is currently 92. Does anyone know the stages or steps of this disease? Just trying to better prepare myself. I am her only caregiver.

SusanB-dil · December 2024

Sorry you are dealing with 'this'. MIL has vasc and alz. Vascular follows the same ultimate trajectory, except that it goes in what I call stairsteps. Vascular can plateau for a while, then we have another step down. It also causes TIA's, and that can be 3 steps down and 1 step back up.

As her only caregiver, please make sure you get some respite time to take care of you. Maybe get some help in so you can step out for a bit.

SDianeL · January 1

here’s a link. Each person progresses differently and she could have behaviors in 2 stages at once or not have a behavior that’s listed. It depends on the part of the brain affected and other things. https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-orlando/blog/vascular-dementia-signs-and-symptoms-and-7-stages-dementia

Siobhan21 · January 4

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/232637#Comment_232637

Thank you so much for this link. Reading it has helped me a lot.

Shenmama99 · January 16

I’m sorry you are going through this. We just got the diagnosis a couple of months ago. I have suspected dementia for a very long time now. My mom’s is also vascular. I wish there was something I could share that would help. This has been so crappy. Just today she got so angry at me and didn’t know who I was or that she was at my house. I feel like this will be my life forever. She is 93 and has stage 3 kidney disease as well. Anyway, I wish I could be of help. I just found this support group. Needed to connect with people that know what I’m going through. I get lots of advice from friends that are not dealing with g with this. A bit frustrating.

SusanB-dil · January 16

Hi shenmama99 - welcome.

Agree - well-meaning friends, and even family, can sometimes be frustrating.

Don't argue with mom. If she is that agitated, however, do tell her doc, and also have her checked for any UTI.

H1235 · January 16

My mom also has vascular dementia. For her memory is much more in tact than most with Alzheimer’s. She struggles with executive functioning, reasoning, prioritizing, empathy, word finding, anosognosia (thinks she can do everything she could do 20 years ago), and bladder control. My mil had Alzheimer’s and was very forgetful and confused, but was almost blissfully unaware of her condition. My moms good memory and anosognosia have made her angry and resentful of all the freedom she has lost. So often the advice in dealing with a person with dementia that makes a unreasonable request is to hold out make an excuse and they will forget about it. That is not the case for my mom. But I do believe it all depends on the part of the brain effected. Your not alone.

Shenmama99 · January 19

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/234048#Comment_234048

yes UTI’s have been a nightmare. She’s on her 6th dose. 😢

SDianeL · January 20

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/234042#Comment_234042

so sorry about your Mom. If you haven’t done so, please read the book “The 36 Hour Day” which really helped me. Also Tam Cummings has videos online about caregiving. Come here often for info and support. It’s best to make a new post if you have questions or would like more replies.

step down symptoms of vascular dementia

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