He is 65. He often thinks I said something his way when in fact I said it a different way. He has in the past made inappropriate comments in public which has mortified me. He used to be a good car parker but now his spacial awareness is not good in that respect. There are a few things - I can’t put my finger on it but he acts in a very similar way to my mum when she had early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Do you think it is anything to worry about or am I being paranoid?
then write a letter explaining his symptoms and your concerns so you don't have to "say" the real reason in front of your spouse. hand deliver(or mail) the letter ahead of time.
be prepared the day of the appointment so that your husband is not doing other things that day.
then explain somehow: the doctors office called and said "they would like to see you because they haven't checked you blood pressure or had labs in a year...time for a yearly physical"
maybe its not dementia, maybe theres another cause?
There are *treatable* conditions that can result in dementia-like symptoms -- prescription meds imbalances, untreated diabetes (that was me, pre-diagnosis), lifestyle changes, stress, sleep deprivation, depression (the list goes on ...).
He DOES need to be evaluated. Hopefully, his issues are treatable. If not, then you can start making realistic plans.
Best Vibes, and fingers crossed!
If it's not Alz, then he needs to rely on a calendar or phone or todo list to help him remember his appointments. As for other lost items, there are there are small trackers you can attach to the items he often misplaces, these trackers then can be tracked using a smart phone. Amazon sells these and they are not expensive.
You can also have a silent heart attack which could affect the brain.
There really are too many "options" that could be the cause so only a complete checkup will let you know what you're dealing with. Even the wrong medication could have severe side-effects.
Hopefully you can convince him to check it out.
See All Answers