I remember the Thanksgiving I knew that my mother-in-law had dementia. She would have been in the Mild Cognitive Impairment stage of her Alzheimer’s. We had arrived the night before, and in the morning, she had not started cooking. Fortunately, my husband and his brother had always done much of the work, so the turkey was already thawed. My husband didn’t notice and just started fixing the food. Instead of ordering everyone around, she seemed lost. I put her to work on the jobs that the kids had done when they were younger and pitched in.
It was hard to notice the Mild Cognitive Impairment stage of her Alzheimer’s. I noticed because she was not my mom. When I mentioned my concerns, my husband and his brother just thought maybe she wasn’t feeling well. Three years later, we had to place her in memory care.
If you are noticing your loved one looking lost, no longer taking charge, or acting different, don’t dismiss your concerns. There is no harm in planning as though one day you or your loved one will no longer be able to care for themselves. Give me a call so I can help you prepare.
