Dementia

[poliphilo]

He's well into his nineties. He was an officer on one of the British warships that sunk the Scharnhorst. Last time we spent time with him he was a quiet courtly gentleman and now there are only traces of that person left. He didn't know who we were. "I have a name in my mind- Canon W". Canon W was his grandfather. "My aunt was a famous woman but I can't remember her name. Who was she?" "I don't know, John." Hands to forehead. "Nobody tells me anything". He runs his carer ragged ( It was his carer we'd mainly come to see.) After a couple of hours he was bristling. "Are you all right, John?" "No, I'm not all right. I'm tired."

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Such a horrible condition.

My hubby's old aunt suffered the same way.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The human mind and personality are fragile things.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

It's exhausting, draining work.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

John's carer is 70 himself. He's having a gruelling time- and gets no thanks for it.