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Should I be concerned

(9 Posts)
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lincolnimp Wed 21-Feb-24 17:47:14

My husband is 83, some years older than I.
Over the last few months I have noticed a change in his behaviour.
He is becoming more snappy, more meticulous/obsessing about carrying out everyday tasks, and although he has effective hearing aids (so can't say he hasn't heard) is not retaining simple information.
Is this just a normal aging process?
I have to add that my father had alzheimers for 10 years, and my mother vascular dementia some time after he died.
Unfortunately we lived far away so didn't really witness the early stages

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aggie Wed 21-Feb-24 17:49:44

Has he a urinary infection ? , is he worried about something ? Will he go to the doctor for a mot ?

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Susiewong65 Wed 21-Feb-24 18:14:39

I’m sorry to hear this Lincolnimp it must be very worrying for you.
It could be part of the natural ageing process or the first signs of dementia.
Keep a diary of all the odd things you notice, dates details etc so if you need to take things further you at least have some evidence to back up your concerns.
Your GP may refer you on to the memory clinic or they might fob you off.
My own father was good at masking the signs in front of health professionals in the early days and so he didn’t get a diagnosis for quite some time but my mum knew things weren’t right.
Good luck.🤞

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kittylester Wed 21-Feb-24 18:20:15

I think you should go to the gp for a check for infection as swift treatment is best. If there is no infection then a referral to a memory clinic can only be good.

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Cossy Wed 21-Feb-24 19:13:58

I agree, try and persuade him to a GP then if all well physically a referral to The Memory Clinic

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Redhead56 Wed 21-Feb-24 19:40:03

Please seek help you cannot deal with this on your own without support and advice. I have witnessed it with older relatives who we looked after and were in denial of their troubling behaviour.
It may take a conversation with a GP and some tests. It will help you and your husband understand the problem. It will also give you the knowledge on how to cope with it too.

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HelterSkelter1 Thu 22-Feb-24 17:05:20

On another thread The Book About Getting Older by Dr Lucy Pollock was recommended. She covers dementia among many other subjects linked with ageing. So much useful information. She is an experienced geriatrician. And it is an interesting, sympathetic and often humorous read.

Can you ring Alzheimer UK for advice. That could be a good first step if he would be reluctant to visit the GP.

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Calipso Thu 22-Feb-24 17:37:24

Good post HelterSkelter1

Alzheimers UK is an excellent resource for support and a listening ear.

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HelterSkelter1 Fri 23-Feb-24 06:44:13

One of the interesting chapters in the book I mentioned was all about medications and how some meds can interact with each other. And worryingly some can hasten dementia. So there is a fine balance between helping one condition and worsening another.
Has your husband changed or started a new medication in the last few months?

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