She is 85 with alzheimers. She seems to have gotten worse in the last two weeks. I can see it but when people who have not seen her notice its worse then I know it is.As you all know one day just rolls into the next without much change P.S all these people are all gone. Thanks
BUT, like the others who have posted, if it is clear she isn't considering that the person might no longer be alive, I wouldn't break the news to her, so to speak. If she asks when Aunt Betty is coming, an answer like, "She can't come this summer. I miss her visits. Let's pick some daisies to remind us of her," might be better.
Do what you can to keep her comfortable with her memories and memory lapses.
(And do check for a UTI!)
And forgetting about the UTI's causing problems, I have done the same thing and my Mom had 7 of them in a year. Why would I forget that? Who the heck knows!
Like Coolie said, tell Mom what will comfort her rather than cause sadness or anxiety. My Mom frequently asks when she last spoke with her mother. I need to kind of guage where I think she is in her brain. I sometimes tell her that Grandma would be 114 if she were still alive and that people don't live that long. Other times I tell her that she just talked to her yesterday and we will call her later. They call this therapeutic white lies. They are basically whatever will make Mom comfortable. Do not correct her about her delusions that will only cause agitation. The things she says and thinks are her only reality, don't take that away from her.
Good luck.