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So he has dementia. How does it progress? Are there things I can do now to keep it from getting worse, or is getting worse inevitable?

Dementia can have several types and each type is different. Ask his doctor to get you information about the specific type of dementia he has and his expected life path.
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Reply to Taarna
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Why didn't the technician or doctor who administered the test review and explain the findings. Because they didn't I might consider having your dad re-test by a more competent and compassionate professional.

This is going to sound like a snark -- but please take the time to educate yourself to be a better advocate for your parent. Learn about dementia, alzheimer's, then make of list of questions for the PCP or specialist to be better educated to advocate.

By not asking questions or providing quirky things your father is doing is not helping his healthcare team to provide him the best care possible.
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Reply to christinex2ri
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If your father has early Alzheimer's dementia, recent literature reports some interventions in diet, activity, and blood pressure may make a difference in slowing progression. As has been suggested, it's a good idea to get some more in-depth testing. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer's. please come back for some more info! There is also a newly approved drug intervention, but it's very demanding, and although approved by Medicare, currently not approved for most Medicare prescription drug plans.
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Rlp820: You can garner knowledge about the disease of dementia by reading such publications as the book, 'The 36 Hour Day.'
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Reply to Llamalover47
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Woah. A test to document changes in neurological activity! I was not familiar with that test name. I assume you have a good healthcare network and care-team.
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Reply to Cklaney2013
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AlvaDeer Nov 1, 2024
Do look up SLUMS and MoCa testing online. They are well described and even "given" on youtube. They amount to at most some 30 questions I describe below.
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My mother took a SLUMS and scored an 18. I was told she had "progressive dementia " which was true....it continued to get worse as time went on. I feel it was vascular dementia because there were signs of stroke on her CT scan. There are no meds to slow the progression, only meds to control the symptoms such as anxiety, depression and agitation. Mom died 6 yrs after she was diagnosed, which is typical for vascular dementia.

You'll learn more here and from reading books like Understanding the Dementia Experienced by Jennifer Ghent-Fuller than you will from most doctors.

Best of luck to you.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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I find that he has trouble retrieving common words. Like he will say, 'that thing that has the time on it'. After more conversation, I realized he meant his cell phone. He does lose track of days, but since I retired so do I, so I didn't think anything of it. I can tell sometimes when I'm talking to him about a common place or person, that he pretends to remember when he really doesn't. He can remember things from when he was a kid, but not what he had for breakfast. Does this all mean that he will eventually not remember me?
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funkygrandma59 Nov 1, 2024
Rip820, short term memory is the first to go when one has dementia. The long term memories hang on for a good while.
And because every person with dementia is different, only time will tell if he will remember you or not. But even if he doesn't remember that you're his wife he will always know that you are someone special that takes care of him.
Just take one day at a time, and don't worry about what lies ahead. Just enjoy whatever time you may have left with him.
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Now that you know from the slums (in which you can miss a few, but not too many--the MoCa or Montreal is similar test to it and both can be viewed on youtube) that there is surely dementia here, it is important to have good neuro-psyc eval.
1. MRI may or may not be done
2. Further testing will be done.
3. Some dementias can be seen on CTs and MRI (mostly those involving vascular problems) and some cannot
4. By symptoms in early dementia there can be further evaluation of symptoms regarding swallow, balance, hallucinations and etc. to ascertain what kind of dementia this is. There are more than a few: Alzheimer's, FTD (fronto temporal), Lewy's Bodies Dementia, and etc).
This is the time to be certain that the POA or next of kin is present.
If no POA and Dad still can understand and wishes to confer it upon family member now is the time while he can still understand, and before it is too late. Getting guardianship is expensive.
You will then ask your questions about the progression. I would better say "guesses" as with dementia we are still sadly in the realms of guesswork.
I am so sorry this is happening, but if we live long enough (and I am 82 now) it is coming for us all. Doesn't make it easier for YOU , and you have my best wishes.
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Rlp820 Oct 27, 2024
Thanks so much!
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Progression depends on what type he has.

What did the doctor say?
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Reply to Southernwaver
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Rlp820 Oct 27, 2024
Actually nothing, which is why I'm confused, as if ,"oh well, thats life". No mention of where to go from here. I didn't even know what questions to ask.
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My Mom s 95 and scored 15 out of 30 on the MOCA test for executive function. She lives next door to me and is semi-independent (she can still do some of her ADLs). Arthritis keeps her from doing more. She just stopped driving this summer.

But I see a more rapid advancement of her dementia with each passing month or two now: memory lapses, confusion, confabulations, paranoia, poor judgement, lack of empathy, increasing childishness, loss of sense of time. There is nothing really to slow its progress (my Uncle was given Aricept and it worked for a very short time and then not at all).

If you look at the menu header on this page and see Resources, the drop-down menu will include Caregiving Topics. You can find lots of info about the many types of dementia there.

Keep coming back to this useful forum whenever you need information or support. I wish you peace in your heart on this journey.
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Reply to Geaton777
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Southernwaver Oct 26, 2024
Loss of sense of time… interesting because I can’t tell if MIL has lost time or if MIL who doesn’t leave the house and has the same schedule every day doesn’t realize time has passed because all of her days blend into each other. Or is that the same thing?
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