I'm worried; Update page 3 post 33

[caseysmom]

I agree with Val, this probably needs medical attention right away and could be dangerous if he tries to leave. My father got lost a few times and it was really scary, luckily good people found him and called us.

[dukedogsmom]

If it is mini strokes, that's nothing to wait on. I think you need to get him help right away. This is nothing to try to figure out on the internet. Keep us updated.

[Sparklecoon]

He is not really exhibiting the signs of a TIA (Transient eschemic attack) AKA a mini-stroke. But if it's still very much out of the ordinary I'd take him to an ER immediately for a work up. With a TIA you'll see alot of the signs of a stroke with the difference being they only last a couple minutes. Signs of TIA include

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

It sounds alot like sundowners.

Sundowners syndrome, also known as sundowning, is a condition often associated with the early stages of Alzheimer's, although a definitive connection has not been made. Sundowners syndrome can also be considered a mood disorder or even a sleep disorder. Sufferers experience periods of extreme agitation and confusion during the late afternoon or early evening hours, leading to irritability towards caregivers or hospital staff. It was once believed that sundowners syndrome was a result of missed day/night light cues, hence the sudden onset at sundown. Current research points towards more organic causes such as drug interactions or stress associated with lower cognitive function.

Caregivers and nursing home staff members can often anticipate an elderly patient's bout of sundowners syndrome. A period of irrational thoughts and irritable behavior might begin after the last meal of the day and last until bedtime, for example. One theory concerning sundowners syndrome is that the constant daily mental processes for normal living can become overwhelming for the elderly during evening hours. They simply have too much incoming information and their restricted cognitive abilities become overloaded. The result is a period of irritability and negative thoughts.

In the hospital we see it alot. An older adult will start to become confused when the sun goes down. It sounds like a load of garbage but it's a genuine phenomenom. If you don't end up going to the ER tonight I'd make an appt. with his physician to talk over what happened this evening. If it is some sort of alzheimers/dementia there are ways to slow the progression.

Other questions of mentation to ask are if he knows the date, where he's at, the current president.

[Freedom]

Thanks al.

Well, we had a very normal conversation and now he is going to change and go to bed. I wanted to take his BP, he said no. I suggested we go to the hospital, nope. I asked him what he thinks happened, he says he isn't even thinking about it.

I can't MAKE him go to the ER, tho' I LIKED the suggestion and was ready to go. I've had the ambulance and EMTs here a few times in the past when he has refused treatment. (And plenty of times when he DID get treatment.) Guess it is all over for now, whatever the heck it is.

I WILL phone his doc on Monday. (Just like with the pets, things happen on the weekend! )