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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,798
Registered: ‎07-24-2013

Elderly - Changes in Personality

 

what are the signs of changes and and loss of cognition? 

 

could an 85-year old not be affected?

 

this person seems to be fooling everyone. pushes the envelope and this landed her in the hospital to mend a broken bone.

 

i don't know when it is time to say, you can no longer live on your own, drive etc. i have a sibling who thinks all is copacetic

 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,875
Registered: ‎04-27-2015

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality


@ashleigh dupray wrote:

 

what are the signs of changes and and loss of cognition? 

 

could an 85-year old not be affected?

 

this person seems to be fooling everyone. pushes the envelope and this landed her in the hospital to mend a broken bone.

 

i don't know when it is time to say, you can no longer live on your own, drive etc. i have a sibling who thinks all is copacetic

 

 


Since she is in a hospital, a social worker should get involved before she is discharged. They can evaluate her and answer some of your questions.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,798
Registered: ‎07-24-2013

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

she is home. she was in the hospital in April. since then she seems to be declining . she has a social worker but she tells him she is fine. he doesn't come over becuase she doesnt want him there so she makes things up

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 4,685
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

I know of a 90 year old who still participates in marathons
(His age group of course )
I want to be spry
Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,371
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

My parents are 84 and still live in their home.  My disabled sister lives with them.  The other 6 of us kids do all we can to be sure they are safe and happy in their home as long as they want.  My parents have great minds and can easily make their own decisions.  I'm sure at some point, we might have to do something.  Then again, my gramma lived on her own and did quite well until she passed at age 95.   

Honored Contributor
Posts: 30,916
Registered: ‎05-10-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

Your social worker story sounds strange, incident make much sense.  If you think she had cognitive issues that make it unsafe for her to live alone, talk to her doctor. if you are a close family member.  Otherwise, you have no standing in this.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

At our PCP's office they give you a index card with something written on it for you to remember, then when you go in to see the doctor he asks you what is on the card, if you would not remember I suppose he would do further testing.The point isd - an elderly person should be being exaluated by her physician every visit.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,702
Registered: ‎08-22-2013

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

There is very little you can do if your relative is able to make their needs know, in other words if they don't want follow up from a social worker in their home they have to abide by their wishs. We had an awful time with my MIL after she broke her hip and then a year later when she had cancer and really needed a lot of help. My MIL did not want any one except family in the house, she didn't want outsiders knowing what she had and was afraid they'd steal from her. It's very hard to prove an old person isn't all there mentally and even if it's recognized at the hospital and help is initially accepted they can refuse the help at any time. My MIL should have gone into a nursing home, but insisted she die at home and there was nothing we could do about it. It wasn't pretty.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,450
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

Medical eval is in order.  I/we did not realize that mom was in early stage of dementia until she was hospitalized for kidney failure.  MD ordered psychiatrist eval after mom gave her inapproprate or otherwise completely wrong answers to simple questions.  When I asked the MD why we did not recognize it, she said people become quite clever about concealing their condition while they are in familiar environment.  Boy, did that set off alarms as I began recalling numerous situations when she got agitated if something was out of place at home, if I took a different route when taking her somewhere, etc.

 

 It's really tough & I send you good thoughts as you work your way through this.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,403
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Elderly - Changes in Personality

Is there really nothing you can do if an elderly relative needs to be in a safe place?  If you have had success in this area or can give advice to those in this position, we would really appreciate your sharing experiences and/or advice.