My mother is 78 years old and has been declining mentally for a decade. Physically she is in astoundingly good condition apart from glaucoma. She walks miles every day.
She can remember in detail events from her childhood. Can tell me about the dress she wore to the first day of kindergarten etc. but can no longer differentiate between a debit card and credit card and cannot understand no matter how I try, why her credit purchases are not on her checking account statement.
I originally thought she had had a stroke (she was insisting she felt someone walking beside her on one of her daily outings but every time she looked there was noone there.) When I suggested a medical eval. she physically attacked me. She hadn't struck me since I was a child. She insisted I was trying to put her in a home. She is spending (credit) enormous amounts of money on every stray cat in her neighborhood and has flooded her apt. on several occasions because she forgets to turn off the water. What happens when she forgets to turn off the stove? She forgets who she is talking to on the phone and often begins talking about me instead of to me. Can't remember the childrens names half the time.
These are just several small examples of a much larger problem. My question is, how do I get this woman to the dr. before she burns down her apt building. I'm afraid for her and living with me is not an option.
Thanks
Ellie