THE BRAIN AND NEUROLOGICAL SYSTEM AGING: CONFUSION
As with any kind of personality change, the way in which confusion takes hold of an elderly parent or relative lies in the eyes of the beholder—and the beholden. Many times, even though your elderly mother may realize that she has become more forgetful and confused lately, she may resist mentioning it to you and her other children. Of course, you probably already have noticed it, but you may not want to admit the fact that since your mother is getting older, it means that you are too.
Confusion can develop slowly, or it can seemingly appear from nowhere, within a matter of days or even hours. When this happens, it’s usually a sign of a change in a person’s physical health. When confusion develops more slowly, it is those people who are close to the elderly person who notice—or choose to ignore—the subtle changes. A physician or somebody who sees that person on a more occasional basis probably won’t notice the changes.
What is confusion, anyway? And when does it start to become a problem where it becomes necessary for a doctor to become involved?
Above all, the single most important factor that indicates that you should seek outside help for your relative is the speed at which the person has changed from being a person who is coherent and stable to someone who is confused and unable to understand even simple terms and explanations. The quicker the transformation, the more important it is to call a doctor.
If you notice that an elderly relative has recently become confused and disoriented, it will help if you ask yourself the following questions about his or her condition. Be sure to communicate the answers to his or her doctor.
• Has she suddenly become confused in the last week, for instance, or has she changed more gradually, over a period of several months?
• Has he always been confused to some degree?
• If he refuses to seek medical attention, do you feel it would be best to override his wishes?
• Ask the person for the time or her address. You can also ask her to add up a simple series of numbers. Don’t be embarrassed to ask these questions.
• Does he have any other signs of physical and/or emotional deterioration, such as loss of the ability to speak or to form full sentences, loss of the use of an arm or leg, loss of consciousness, or loss of bladder or bowel function? Does he sweat heavily or have a high fever? Has he recently been exposed to extreme heat or cold?
• Has she recently begun to take a new medication?
• Is he abusing alcohol or controlled drugs, either on purpose or by accident?
• Has she been falling a lot lately?
• Has he undergone any sudden personality changes?
• If she has a history of dementia in the past, have you noticed any acute changes recently?
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