Hi, @johncottingham. Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You'll notice I moved your message to this existing discussion, "Caring for omeone with dementia/Alzheimer's." I did this so that you can connect with other members in a similar situation to yours.

Click VIEW & REPLY in the email notification, and you will be able to read through the past messages by members like @mongerj @debbraw @dianajane @cathyb and others. I'd also like to introduce you to @IndianaScott.

With your wife's diagnosis of vascular dementia, short-term forgetfulness getting noticeably worse and being advised the surgery to correct the hole in her heart is unlikely to help the problem, I imagine you have many questions. I trust these other members will provide some insights.

Mayo Clinic does indeed have expertise in dementia. Here is some information on vascular dementia from Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vascular-dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20378793. If you go to the tab on Doctors & Departments, you will see some of the physicians who care for your wife's condition. If you are interested in requesting an appointment, please see this information http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63.

What would you say is your greatest concern presently about your wife's condition, @johncottingham?