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Does your loved one avoid answering a question? Tips?

Posted by kmliste @kmliste, Sep 8 11:58am

My loved one is Dx with MCI and is very functional at this point. I have noticed, however, that when I ask him a question he doesn't answer it. He goes on a journey around it. I finally have to say, "is that a yes or No" or something like "are you saying it is in the mailbox?" They are simple questions but he seems to take a scenic route to an answer. Sometimes we never get there. Have any of you experienced this?

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wtr2026 | @wtr2026 | Sep 10 12:16pm

Could it be that your loved one doesn't know the answer so he takes the circular route hoping to strike gold? So frustrating!

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kjc48 | @kjc48 | Sep 11 7:05am

@kmliste You bet. My guy circles around the entire question over and over or starts talking about something nonrelated. I think it's just what's going in their brain, what they hear, and how they interpret it. It's hard to know with this disease. So many quirks, so many changes that really do affect how they logically think and how they take in and process whatever they are hearing.
Best, Karla

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judimahoney | @judimahoney | Sep 11 8:27am

@kmliste
I think cognitive masking may be happening. That is when they re-route to try and come at the answer a different way (to cover or mask the fact they are having trouble answering). Their brains are changing, so if the answer is no longer accessible, they work the problem from another angle to get around the fact that they can't remember.
It's like when we have to re-route while driving if there's a traffic jam.
He may be doing his best to answer, trying to find the words, searching and searching to get around the block and respond appropriately. I'm sure this exhausts their brains, so consequently tiring their bodies as well.
When my husband doesn't answer I'll either wait a minute so he has more time to process the question, or word my question differently, or use fewer words, and speak more slowly.
All the best to you. 🪷

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