Blood work and a Physical Might Explain Mother’s “Blah” Symptoms
Dear Carol: My 90-year-old mom seems to be declining significantly over the last few weeks. She recently told me she feels “blah” most days, but when I ask for updates, she says she’s okay. Her memory is slipping, so she repeats herself, and she sometimes struggles to make words into a sentence. She can still get dressed, wash up, and do some basic chores, but she’s forgetting how to fix a meal other than using the microwave. When I ask about her memory, she says she notices it’s getting worse, which I suppose is a good sign. Yet, when I suggested she move to assisted living, her answer was no. I asked her if she would go to the doctor for depression, and she said no to that, too. I don’t know what to do to help her. Any ideas? – PF
Dear PF: It’s tough for us to see these changes, but at 90, your mom is bound to be experiencing some. You’re a good daughter who obviously cares. Unfortunately, resistance to change and refusing to see a doctor are both common. In the absence of an emergency, you might get farther with her if you backed off the idea of change for a short time, then reapproach from a different direction. You could…
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