How can my dad with dementia remember something that happened less than a week ago, but can't remember what I told him minutes ago?
Lips asked...
How can my father remember that his license was recently revoked (less than a week ago) but he can't remember something I told him minutes ago?
Expert Answer
A social worker and geriatric consultant who specializes in dementia care, Joyce Simard is based in Land O' Lakes, Florida, and in Prague. She is a well-known speaker and has written two books, one focusing on end-of-life care and the other, entitled The Magic Tape Recorder, explaining aging, memory loss, and how children can be helpers to their elders.
Dementia is a strange disease and what you described is not unusual. I think that having his license revoked was a pretty dramatic event. It's is usually more difficult for men to give up driving than it is for women...perhaps something to do with being the head of the family.