No short term memory

Grandot · November 17

I’m so worried. My DH was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 4 years ago. It has been a gradual decline until now. He has no short term memory. Within minutes or seconds he is asking the same questions or cannot understand a situation. Yet he looks and acts perfectly normal around others. From your experience where do we go from here?

blacksparky · November 17

My DW was diagnosed with EOAD at 53. It’s been three years and she is now in late stage 5. She has no short term memory left. Her speech is limited to maybe 300 words now and makes no sense when talking to anyone. She has always been a talker so she goes on and on. She can no longer complete simple tasks like when I ask her if she could fill the dogs water, she just looks at me. Every one progresses on their own pace do it’s hard to say what’s next for your LO. All I do is read comments everyday from this great knowledgeable group of fellow caregivers. I also read the book 36 hour day. So sorry that you are dealing with this but just take one day at a time.

Chris20cm · November 17

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/74620/no-short-term-memory

DW is similarly without short term memory and her cognitive skills are negligible, although even 8 years after the Alzheimer's diagnosis, she often appears normal outside our home, as long as she limits social contact to a minute or two. After that, repetition sets in and she has enough awareness of that to do the Irish goodbye and slip away. And since she shadows constantly, I have to go with her to avoid aimless wandering.

The only thing that seems to help is to redirect our conversation to her childhood. When I ask her about her grandma or her school experiences, she enjoys that and has a surprisingly good memory of her early childhood. There are ups and downs but the short term memory doesn't improve.

jgreen · November 18

Hi, @Grandot,

I agree with above commenters. Other resources that may help you are videos by Tam Cummings and Teepa Snow The Careblazers website is another that I’ve found helpful. I think you may find some helpful next steps.

You are husband’s advocate. Learn as much as you can so you are able to keep him safe and also take care of yourself. As I’ve read in other posts - this is a marathon and not a sprint.

SDianeL · November 18

so sorry you are at this point. As others have said, learn all you can about the disease so you can help him. Read the book “The 36 Hour Day” which really helped me. Search online for dementia caregiving videos by Tam Cummings or Teepa Snow. Search online for a chart for the 7 Stages of Dementia that shows behaviors in each stage. That will give you a general idea of what stage he’s in. Soon he will require 24/7 care. You should have a plan for when that happens. Will you be able to hire in home care or will you place him in memory care? Also have a Plan B. Come here often to ask questions or to vent. We understand what you’re going through. 💜

Lilydaisy · November 19

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/74620/no-short-term-memory

Nothing to add to other good comments except that this is normal in my experience and in what I have read. Redirecting may help short-term, but it likely wion't go away. Good luck.

WIGO23 · November 19

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/74620/no-short-term-memory

You described my DH precisely. Other people do not see his deficits easily unless they converse with him long enough that he repeats himself. I am the one who knows every inaccuracy he says because I have lived with him 53 years. Others can’t know unless they were part of the event he is describing inaccurately.

I don’t correct him but a tiny bit of my heart aches with each memory he gets wrong or each task he cannot remember how to do.

mwoolley · November 19

I am experiencing similar issues with my wife who has frontotemporal dementia. It is frustrating and my only suggestion is to accept that the dementia has gradually replaced the person I married. It takes patience, undying and unconditional love to get through each day.

RVH55VT · November 19

This is a good road map of the disease….

https://www.alzinfo.org/understand-alzheimers/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1342221307&gbraid=0AAAAAD_O5-n1xPLU1iUJBVs5dmTnFp55s&gclid=CjwKCAiA_dDIBhB6EiwAvzc1cJ1pgcqtPDju0WGmyDM0aR-foC-LOXjfuY0Byi7ScYHIDY3mCHE86hoCLDAQAvD_BwE

No short term memory

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