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How would you do?

(30 Posts)
ninathenana Mon 07-Mar-16 11:22:37

I've just read a post on the Alzheimer's Society forum from someone saying that, at their recent assessment, they were asked to name four animals that begin with 's' and that they could only think of snake. Well I added snail and then went blank shock Also they were asked to count back from 100 in 7s that took me a while as I never did learn all my times tables blush
At the moment I have no personal concerns regarding dementia but I was surprised how tricky I found this.

phoenix Mon 07-Mar-16 19:44:30

Springbok, sloth, salamander, stoat, as for the numbers, pah! Forget it!

BTW, the difference between a stoat and a weasel?

Weasily distinguished, because they are stoatally different.

Iam64 Mon 07-Mar-16 18:43:18

A decade ago when our parents were being asked to count backwards from 100 in 7's, my sisters and I swore we'd ensure the medical staff asking us to do this when we were much older, must be told that we couldn't do it as fit young 40 or 50 somethings. I know, we ought to be ashamed but honestly, ask something reasonable like who the prime minister is and what day of the week, date and year it is. Mind you, I'm beginning to struggle with the day of the week and the date since I retired because I CBA.

f77ms Mon 07-Mar-16 16:52:53

My X when he was unwillingly looking after his 90yr old Mum and had moved in for his own convenience, took her to the Gp hoping(I think) that they would whisk her off to a care home . They asked all the usual questions Year, day , Prime minister etc and she not only knew the answers she enlarged on them all, ie Sam Cam , the Queens children and grandchildren ,all there ages . What she was doing this time last year .....
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall and seen my X`s face . She finished of with "I never asked him to come and live with me , and I don`t need looking after" which she didn`t and lived to be in her late 90`s .

Tegan Mon 07-Mar-16 16:28:08

I couldn't think of any sad. And, yesterday I bought something for £27 and handed over £47. The honest lad at the till looked at me sadly and handed me the £20 back sadsad....oooo'er

Pittcity Mon 07-Mar-16 15:48:28

Stoat, Skunk, Stork, Salamander.
Surely knowing your tables doesn't help.

grannylyn65 Mon 07-Mar-16 15:46:39

They did one on me during hosp stay. I said 'Before you ask, don't bother to ask me to count anything backwards cos I can't '!!
(no brains!)

POGS Mon 07-Mar-16 14:13:34

Good, he was rubbish too. grin.

POGS Mon 07-Mar-16 14:09:02

Flipping heck Nina I went blank shock

I did post a while back I scored less than my dad who was diagnosed with onset dimentia and one day I simply could not remember how do fasten my bra. ( I am a front fastener and swizzle round doer upper and couldn't decide if the hooks and eye are facing in or out) .

Hmmm along with hubby putting signs up for me to switch the cooker, iron and hob off I genuinely think I might have 'a word' next time I am at the docs. Going to ask hubby this question right now.

Teetime Mon 07-Mar-16 14:00:10

When I was nursing there used to be something called the Geriatric Depression Score - my colleagues and I always failed it.

Indinana Mon 07-Mar-16 13:56:12

Is anyone else having a sense of déjà vu with this thread? It's not just the OP that seems familiar, but several of the responses hmm

downtoearth Mon 07-Mar-16 13:45:35

snake,sparrow,squirrel,sausage dog.

hildajenniJ Mon 07-Mar-16 12:49:52

Sumatran tiger, snow leopard, sun bear, snake.
As for counting backwards from 100 in sevens, that's quite easy, and I never liked maths.

ninathenana Mon 07-Mar-16 12:31:19

I did get sheep and later squirrel after I posted.

The test I had with the diabetes nurse last month was much simpler. Months in reverse order, remember three words, count forward in fours.

Granny23 Mon 07-Mar-16 12:18:10

Asked DH and he came up with Sealion, Seal, Snake, Seagull, Squirrel, Salmon and I added Sheep, Salamander, Shetland Pony, Shearwater. I didn't even ask him to attempt the counting backwards because when he attempted it during his assessment he managed 3 backwards (all wrong) and then started adding instead of subtracting and finished proudly on 120. I was very upset that he did so poorly but the assessment result was that he was mildly impaired for a man of his age. What they did not take into account is that he was/is a clever, intelligent man so displaying more than a mild impairment for HIM.

Bellanonna Mon 07-Mar-16 12:16:19

I did manage 4 - three mammals and one reptile. But I definitely have undiagnosed discalcula, while at the same time learning a new word smile

kittylester Mon 07-Mar-16 12:15:43

I can do the numbers quite easily but my brain just works that way!

I can do the animals but they didn't readily spring to mind. Unless different breeds of dog count!

Tizliz Mon 07-Mar-16 12:14:56

My father used to run through all the names of my siblings before he got to me, I wouldn't have minded so much but I have brothers as well as sisters!
He didn't have Alzheimer's think he just did it to annoy me.

I hope that not being able to remember everyday names is just a case of getting old or both my OH and me have Alzheimer's.

MiniMouse Mon 07-Mar-16 12:08:01

Regarding the counting back from 100 in sevens - surely that's something that many people without dementia might struggle with? What about thise with undiagnosed discalcula?

I'm off to try it now!

Indinana Mon 07-Mar-16 12:07:32

I too started with snake and snail, then went on to think of 5 more. Four of them birds, which are allowed of course, because the term 'animal' is an umbrella term covering all living creatures - birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, and so on.
Didn't have any trouble counting backwards in 7s - but then this sort of exercise is something I do regularly when I can't sleep grin

Luckygirl Mon 07-Mar-16 12:01:31

6 of my 7 GC have 3 letter names, 2 of which are the same and another 2 with only the first letter different - no wonder I have trouble!

Katek Mon 07-Mar-16 11:55:47

Two of my dgs have very similar names that both start with C. I'm forever calling them by the other's name. Mind you I did that in my 30's-ran through all three of the dc's names until I reached the correct one.

Galen Mon 07-Mar-16 11:53:21

I'm afraid I know the serial seven answers off by heart. It's one of a series of standard mental health tests

Luckygirl Mon 07-Mar-16 11:52:37

It's the GC's names that flummox me - I look at a GC, am quite sure of it's name, then some other name pops out first and the right name second - amidst much swearing from me! Grrr!

Mind you one of my DDs did this the other day, so that made me feel a bit better.

Greyduster Mon 07-Mar-16 11:52:30

Just checked on one of my animals - it's not an animal, it's an Arab sailing boat! So, two animals then.

jinglbellsfrocks Mon 07-Mar-16 11:50:46

Does Siberian Mongoose count? Would they know I made it up?

As for the counting, after after 86 I would tell them I can't be arsed.