My mom has the beginning stages of dementia, so the doctor says, so conversations can be rather interesting. She also denies that she didn’t hear me, in spite of saying “what?”, but if I carefully raise my voice enough that she can she will accuse me of yelling at her. Gotta take it in stride and laugh it off, and we both do for the most part thankfully, but it can get very frustrating.
My mom is 88 and we live together since her strokes.
It IS frustrating. I love her to bits... but it is like ‘I Love Lucy’ at my house. I put something down, in a flash is GONE and she doesn’t know anything about it.
When I come home from work it is... ‘s’plain Lucy’....It is mostly OK, but a little crazy too.
Do your Mom and self a huge favor, and get her hearing tested. Hearing loss in elderly patients is all too often mis-diagnosed as the early stages of dementia.
If hearing instruments are required, avoid the “in-the-ear” type, as they are slippery and hard for the elderly to insert. The newer “behind-the-ear” style are easier to handle, and are very comfortable to wear.
To this day, I blame an inept audiologist for my Mom’s decline. When an elderly person cannot hear clearly, they tend to withdraw and live in their thoughts, and not interact with others.
Helping her hear clearly will prolong and enhance the time you have left with her in your life. Make the most of it.