It’s Hard When Your Elderly Relatives Start Showing Mental Deficit / myLot

United States

March 12, 2025 2:34pm CST

Hubby’s mother is difficult to deal with. She’s always been a liar and a victim mentality But now she has some signs of cognitive impairment or dementia or something She can’t find her words and her memories are confused and she can’t find directions or operate normal things like her phone If she were a sweet little old lady with a kind disposition it works be easier to deal with her. But she’s not. She’s not taking guidance from us and we have no control over her.

10 people like this

9 responses

terri0824

@terri0824 (4993)

• United States

Is she in your care? Sometimes UTI's can present with this type of behavior with the cognitive impairment/dementia.

4 people like this

The Horse

@TheHorse (224354)

• Walnut Creek, California

Interesting. Why UTIs?

3 people like this

Melanie Marie

@Melanie_Marie (1999)

• United States

One day, my Grandma went back to speaking Polish, and only Polish. We all got scared and thought she had a stroke, rushed her to the hospital. It was just a UTI. Affects brain function in the elderly. Antibiotics cleared it right up and she went back to speaking English.

2 people like this

much2say

@much2say (57337)

• Los Angeles, California

@TheHorse That is what happened to my MIL - a few times. They were saying she was very dehydrated - which of course can cause the UTI. And then the UTI could cause those odd behaviors in older folks. I heard recently that as we get older, our brain starts to not give us the signal that we are thirsty. So we all need to get in the habit of keeping hydrated

The Horse

@TheHorse (224354)

• Walnut Creek, California

I remember my Uncle repeating the same old stories. He had been a powerful man.

1 person likes this

Kayla Tsukino

@kaylachan (75904)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

I know that can be frustrating. Sad thing is she'll get worse.

Juliaacv

@Juliaacv (52576)

• Canada

Yes, it is difficult when family and loved ones begin to fail as they age. In my experience, lying and other mental issues can be a part of the onset of dementia.

1 person likes this

rakski

@rakski (134361)

• Philippines

Just now

that is truly difficult

Faster16

@Faster16 (3212)

• Indonesia

41m

That sounds like a very challenging situation. Dealing with a difficult personality is hard enough, and adding potential cognitive decline makes it even more complex.

snowy

@snowy22315 (186393)

• United States

Sounds like dementia, but she needs to be checked out. They also have good medicines for it these days.

much2say

@much2say (57337)

• Los Angeles, California

That is difficult. My MIL is now in memory care . . . her memory is like you describe and it's getting worse. We are fortunate that she is the sweet old lady type, but still it is all frustrating.

RasmaSandra

@RasmaSandra (83026)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

now that can be tough the best of luck to you. When my mom and I arrived in Latvia in 1994 she got schlerosis or such on the brain and it was hard for her to understand things. The Christmas before she passed she asked me where I was born.