Review of dementia diagnosis due to early symptoms of dementia and sequelae of stroke.

My mother had a stroke, and about six months passed after the shock of my older brother's sudden hospitalization in the intensive care unit.

The dementia started with talking about something just now and then again a little later.

Thinking of the surprised family members, I will share what family members should do and the symptoms of dementia.

 

Early symptoms of dementia

 

1. Repetitive behavior (forgetfulness): Forgets that they just made a phone call and makes the call again.

2. Change in personality: Mom is a gentle and kind-hearted person, and she has never heard any curses growing up, but she has experienced a sudden change in personality with impulsive outbursts of strange curses.

3. Suspicion (seeing things that aren't there): Someone might have taken the clothes, or I saw someone secretly taking them while I was sleeping.

She remembers her dating days with her deceased husband and prepares to leave, packing her clothes.

He was crying, saying how pitiful it was that his healthy husband had died.

Remembering the 6.25 evacuation days, they are so scared that they cover themselves with a blanket and do not come out.

4. The person tends to lie down for longer periods without turning on the lights or going outside: they avoid turning on the lights because it hurts their eyes.

 

✅ Dementia testing and diagnosis

 

Dementia testing is conducted together by the patient and their guardian at the university hospital.

Blood test, EEG (electroencephalogram)

Grade assessment after home visit inspection from the National Health Insurance Corporation

 

✅ Examination results and dementia diagnosis

 

Mom was diagnosed with level 6 mild cognitive impairment (Alzheimer's, vascular dementia - likely a sequela of a stroke from several years ago).

The facility was not available for admission.

Since you were staying at the nursing home you recently purchased, you initially stayed there, but I received a request to discharge you because care was difficult.

 

I started care after retiring later.

The problem is that you leave the house in a flash after unlocking all three keys to the entrance that you usually can't open easily, and then wander around.

=Family emergency response and reporting to the police, etc.

 

●Daycare Center (Nochiwon): You went to the nursing facility in the morning and came back in the evening, but due to wandering, we had to find another solution.

 

✅ Facility admission and home visit care

 

Level 5 and above can enter home care or facilities (municipal or private nursing homes) -> undergo testing, receive a new grade, and then move in.

We chose admission due to wandering.

Although they said they wouldn't go, since they had lived in a nursing home, it was easy to separate.

-How much I cried and suffered from depression.

 

After admission, since 1:1 care like at home isn't possible, they quickly started wearing diapers.

They requested discharge, saying that it's difficult to care for them because they remove the catheter and put it in the toilet.

 

Later, just a little move to a private nursing facility.

 

COVID-19 outbreak after only fifteen days

Fortunately, my mother did not get infected, but because she couldn't be separated or moved, she entered the hospital walking, but soon became unable to walk.

Elderly people cannot walk if they do not walk for a week.

 

As a result, a level 2 diagnosis that cannot be moved alone.

Mom, who only lies down and sits in a wheelchair with help

 

 

In this way, there was little that family could do for dementia, and there was no way to improve or get better.

Just handing out medication (medical re-examination is required once a year for insurance coverage)

 

I believe that small facilities like family settings are better than large institutions for dementia care (it is essential to verify that there is no abuse).

Each day, dementia is so unpredictable that it cannot be listed here.

There is a sense of helplessness that I cannot provide, but I am always on standby.

 

🟢 Prevention

 

Since I have experienced that dementia already progressed cannot be helped

Recently, I also experienced severe forgetfulness, so I underwent a check-up and am taking brain supplements.

Because of family history as well (examination for those over 60 years old - covered by health insurance)

 

-Exercise: walking more than 10,000 steps a day

Four-character idiom reading and writing

I added four four-character idioms each day, but I stopped after two weeks.

 

The brain supplement I am taking: Chong Kun Dang Gliatirin

 

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