Q. I am getting ready for my annual trip out east to spend time with my mother over the holidays.
Mom is in her 80s and it is getting more and more difficult for her to do everything — yet she insists on keeping up all of the old traditions and will not allow any of us to help.
By the time I leave she is exhausted and I am stressed and feeling guilty. Is there any way to convince her all the “fuss” is not necessary, without hurting her feelings?
(A daughter in Dodgeville)
Q. I am becoming more and more concerned that my mom is not doing well.
She has lost many of her friends and when we speak I think there may be some depression going on.
I live on the West coast and can’t be there to actually see what is happening. What can I do? How do I get mom to accept help? (From daughter in San Francisco, Calif.)
A. Your concerns are very legitimate. Losses can be very hard to deal with especially as we get older and have fewer options to replace the loss.
Q. I have heard people use the term dementia, and then others will say Alzheimer’s disease. What is the difference and how can I tell if my dad is developing either one of them? (From a son in Southern Wisconsin.)
This is a very common question and there is a lot of confusion about this, so I am glad you asked.
Dementia is used as more of a general term that describes some symptoms.
The symptoms included in dementia are forgetfulness, repeating words or statements, and loss of judgment, to name a few.
