in the last 2 years we were in crisis with my mom at least 3 times. We noticed personality and behaviour changes..As well as hallucinations. She has been living with me fairly steadily for the past year because of my own health issues (breast cancer). For the past 4 months it seems that she has been quite stable. Her personality and behaviours have been under control. She is showing some other signs of dementia, like needing help with banking and some short term memory loss. But for the most part has been ok. Have any of you experienced a ‘break’ in the progression of the disease? I wonder if it’s because she has a purpose which is to help me as I go through my treatment? I find it so stressful to figure out what is coming next with this disease. I have so much anxiety around it. Which doesn’t help my own health.
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!
My brother was diagnosed with "probably early Lewy's Dementia" when he had an accident. The diagnosis was based on an MRI that showed some changes in white or gray matter (I cannot remember which) and his own description of some hallucinations he had, some periodic difficulty swallowing, some changes in balance (most acute symptom). He had an old calcified tumor in the brain that they found incidentally, likely there for decades, and probable cause of his decades long loss of smell, tho that could have been Lewy's also.
His hallucinations came either at night, or when mildly stressed (hated to shop, and sure enough, when out would get them).
He sold his last little home, made me POA and Trustee for him, gave up all bill paying and finances to me, went into ALF he chose, and adjusted well.
Once in the ALF he IMPROVED only. Over about 1 1/2 years until his death from Sepsis. We discussed it ourselves. Few hallucinations. Many fewer. I would say the only thing that lasted was a mild paranoia, a worry over people entering his rooms and perhaps taking his last treasures, people watching when he left for his daily walk, and etc.
I discussed with the ALF, a very excellent one and they said they saw improvements like this over and over and over again.
Their own "guess" was that entering into care where you are entertained, given a lot of activities from trips to movies to tours, fed regularly, laundry and cleaning done, no worried over bills and paying--that this relief from stress and worry brought a great deal of improvement due to less anxiety.
Good luck going forward. And do know that any break in progression is a good thing. But days now will be forever unpredictable.
The progression of different types of dementia are different from one another.
I compare the decline with Alzheimer's as like walking down a ramp. For the most part it is a steady decline.
The Vascular dementia has sharp declines, so it is more like walking down a few stairs then a landing where things will be sort of stable.
My Husbands decline was a combination of a ramp with a step down for a decline then he would even out again.
Expect her decline will get worse. She will need more help. It will not get easier. You need to figure out now if you are going to be able to care for both of you.
While she is doing well now it might be a good time to look for Memory Care or at least Assisted Living for her.
I hope you have talked to your doctors about the anxiety that you are having and the stress you are under. They need to know that.