Question:
We're starting to worry (I imagine you read those words a lot on this supportgroup). My father-in-law, whose judgment has steadily declined over the pastfew years, has reached the point where his memory seems to be getting muchworse. Especially his short-term memory.

Examples:

1) He watches t.v. constantly, reads the newspaper every day. Today, hisdaughter commented on what a terrible and tragic week this has been. Hisresponse: "Well, yes, of course. I know that something terrible happened thisweek, I just can't seem to remember it right now."

2) One of his daughters moved out of the area about a month ago. He used tovisit her about once a week. She has four children, the eldest of which is 8or 9 years old. On the phone recently, he remembered only one of them. Hesaid to his daughter, "Now, you have other children besides" the youngest, thebaby, they had been talking about.

His age is 81. He's had no medical problems his whole life. His doctor haswanted him to have a carotid ultrasound test, but my father-in-law is terrifiedthat if he agrees to that, he'll somehow wind up being operated on without hisconsent.

I always thought that Alzheimer's announced itself by extremely inappropriatebehavior. I hadn't ever heard that memory gaps showed up first.

can anyone give me some advice??/

Answer: Yes indeed. Short term memory loss is one of the first things you notice withAlzheimers. Memory of long ago events and people are still good at this point;it is only much later that long term memory also goes away. Maybe he shouldsee a neurologist for a diagnosis; other thiongs must be ruled out before a dxof AD is given. Many other things besides AD can also cause memory loss. Manyof those can be successfully treated.

The memory loss was the first thing to go with my mother. It was verygradual but now is so gone it saddens me. She knows this guy (my dad) and thisgirl (me, her daughter) lives with her but doesn't have a clue who we are.When either of her two sons come to visit they are complete strangers as well. I can't offer advice on what to do as I haven't a clue except to just rollwith the punches. Once in a while she is very keen up on memory such asSaturday night at a wedding we went to she recognized two people out of thecrowd but didn't know who anyone else was. That was a total surprise to me.