Thoughts

Previously we have had confusion linked to a UTI and that can range from mild confusion to a quite aggressive response.
One day she walked down the connecting orchard (looking like she was on a mission) when she arrived she got quite upset to think that hubby and I might have been arguing. On this occassion, we weren't, but after having a cup of tea she settled and I walked her home again; and up to the Dr very smartly the next day!
Today she thinks about the pub she went to last night where the youths were fighting. She was given a safe room and came home early this morning. Very vivid in her mind but accounts for why the nursing staff saw her getting dressed early this morning; she was on her way home.
The other big change that I notice is that she has never been an emotional or tactile person; now, she sits and holds my hand and says to me very regularly 'You know I love you, don't you?' This is probably the one that can reduce me to tears before I have chance to blink or even think about it.
As the seemingly 'hard' one in the family this is quite disturbing; but dementia is not something that I have had to deal with before and learning how to respond to these outbursts of confusion.
Seeing people, who should know better, treat her with disrespect, is very upsetting. Taking the time to listen and find out a little more about her condition is important to be able to monitor her health and to have an adult discussion with her Dr. Looking, listening and learning have proved to be the key so far, and this is something that I can continue doing for her benefit. All of a sudden I find myself needing to become well versed in dementia, in order to be able to understand how she is thinking.
When we sit and talk I find that touching her head or her face or talking quietly in her 'space' causes her to respond with a smile and a conspiratorial look and is rewarding to think that she feels special on these occassions.