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my nan's losing it

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
On Friday someone knocked on the door, thrust a clipboard under her nose and said 'could you sign this and date it please?'. She did, without having a clue what she was signing and without reading a word of the document she had just signed. When my mum asked what she had signed, she said 'it had a lot of writing on it'.

After managing to persuade her to contact her bank and ask them to keep an eye on any unusual payments out of her account, my mum drove down to help her sort out her statements and files, because she couldn't find anything. When she was there, my nan took her electric kettle, filled it with water, lit the gas and put it on the stove. She then went away, the kettle caught on fire, and when she noticed she called for my dad, but stood in the doorway looking at it so my dad couldn't get past. She then stood and watched whilst my parents choked on toxic fumes, without thinking of looking for a key to open the back door so they could take the kettle outside.

I worry, I really do.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by dr_carter
    my nan took her electric kettle, filled it with water, lit the gas and put it on the stove. She then went away, the kettle caught on fire
    Classic dementia I'm afraid.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kentish
    Classic dementia I'm afraid.

    What I find frightening is that if someone compliments her, she thinks they're wonderful, no matter how full of shit they are. I always said she'd have loved Harold Shipman if he'd have said 'oh, what a nice blouse you're wearing'....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Alzheimer's disease?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Capacity
    Alzheimer's disease?

    It's possible. I think a lot of the time she does some things just for sympathy. Everything you say, she just goes 'eh?' and when you ask her to repeat back what you've just said, she knows exactly what you said and exactly what you mean, she just likes attention. Sometimes she acts like she's in a competition with my mother to see who's got the most wrong with them.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it's sad when things like that happen.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by J
    Classic world shuting her off and forgeting she exists...
    :confused:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not a very useful point here, but I really hope I never get any problems like that. My Mum used to work with old people who have dementia etc and it's really not nice.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by J
    Classic world shuting her off and forgeting she exists...

    Other way round I think....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tbh it sounds like dementia to me, I work with old people and they did stuff like that before they moved to the home.
    If you are seriously worried about her but dont want to out her in a home i would consider getting some home help for her. Maybe even a PA.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm really sorry to hear this. When my Grandpa got cancer of the pancreas and we finally got to see him a week before he died, he wasn't making any sense. The most hurtful and meaninful thing was when I said goodbye, and he whispered into my ear "I'm sorry boy". This was probably him being senile, but it meant a lot to me and upset me loads. So I know how you feel. *hugs*
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Zella
    Tbh it sounds like dementia to me, I work with old people and they did stuff like that before they moved to the home.
    If you are seriously worried about her but dont want to out her in a home i would consider getting some home help for her. Maybe even a PA.

    A lot of what she does do, she does because she's lonely. She phones up my cousin 5 or 6 times in one day just to talk to someone. I was thinking about getting her a cat, but after yesterday, I'm not so sure....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No, I wouldn't suggest getting her a cat to talk to would be a very good idea.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by dr_carter
    A lot of what she does do, she does because she's lonely. She phones up my cousin 5 or 6 times in one day just to talk to someone. I was thinking about getting her a cat, but after yesterday, I'm not so sure....

    It may not be because she lonely....she may have honestly forgotten that she's a lady I work with does it all the time. They really should move that pay phone cos its the type where you put the money in when the other person has picked up and untill you do they cant here you. Tis a bad idea.

    But yes, I would get a docter over to give her an assesment and then decide what you want to do from there. But I would make up your mind soon because dementia can progress quite quickly.
    One lady I work with moved in and she seem perfectly normal, but now she's lost most of her short term memory and she's only been there about 7 months.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lucifer devil
    No, I wouldn't suggest getting her a cat to talk to would be a very good idea.
    Sad, but made me laugh...
    sorry...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: my nan's losing it
    Originally posted by dr_carter
    On Friday someone knocked on the door, thrust a clipboard under her nose and said 'could you sign this and date it please?'. She did, without having a clue what she was signing and without reading a word of the document she had just signed. When my mum asked what she had signed, she said 'it had a lot of writing on it'.

    After managing to persuade her to contact her bank and ask them to keep an eye on any unusual payments out of her account, my mum drove down to help her sort out her statements and files, because she couldn't find anything. When she was there, my nan took her electric kettle, filled it with water, lit the gas and put it on the stove. She then went away, the kettle caught on fire, and when she noticed she called for my dad, but stood in the doorway looking at it so my dad couldn't get past. She then stood and watched whilst my parents choked on toxic fumes, without thinking of looking for a key to open the back door so they could take the kettle outside.

    I worry, I really do.
    Im so sorry to hear that... my nan is getting a bit weird too, its horrible to watch them deteriate and there is nothing you can do.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: my nan's losing it

    DR.CARTER: Apologies for having to be the prophet of doom, but this does not look encouraging. I never know quite what to say in this situation. My mum works in a retirement centre, though, and has seen all this stuff before. She knows more about the elderly than I ever will! Maybe I'll ask for her verdict on all this, she might have something she could say to you.
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