Husband diagnosed MCI: He is in denial and personality is changing

I apologize for this question, but why wouldn’t Apple’s “Find my iPhone” work, if you added his device to yours? Is LIFE360 maybe more accurate? Looking into that app, and thank you.

We have both but the Life360 seems more accurate it shows where he is on a map and if he's walking or not. There are probably even other apps, I haven't looked into it since we got 360.

Thank you! It sounds very valuable…I will look into it!

We did the AQ Mississippi R cruise last spring and it was really excellent. Unfortunately the Viking European is fully paid for. I can cancel now for refund but his pcp says not to…he should be ok to go in Sept. if not, he will provide documentation for insurance. I worry about travel and 2 days in Amsterdam before cruise.

One more thing! Life 360 also provides a weekly driving report for those of you who spouses or parents are still driving.

Thank you again for the info!

From a Denentia Support newsletter- I need this reminder.

People with dementia can often seem like they are in denial.

They may not think they need help.

Even though it looks like denial, it's not.

When this is happening, it's something called anosognosia. It means "lack of awareness."

Their brain is literally not able to understand that they have a problem.

This means that no matter how much evidence you give them...

No matter how much convincing you try to do...

No matter how much you try to prove to them...
None of that works.

It just makes you more frustrated.

It must make the person with dementia more upset.

It's important to understand that the person with dementia is not able to gain the understanding and awareness of their deficits. Pushing for them to understand is like continually urging someone who is blind to look at the picture on the wall. You can try all day long, but they will never see the picture.

The most important thing to do when the person has anosognosia (hint: if you think they are in denial, then they likely have this condition) is to remind yourself that they are NOT doing it on purpose.

In fact, the more you believe they are doing it on purpose, the more frustrated you become. It's not a good thing to keep thinking. It does nothing to help your situation.

💖, Dr. Natali

Sending love,

Dr. Natali + The Careblazer Team

These emails are not a substitute for healthcare. These emails are educational only. Please consult you and your loved one's healthcare providers for specific healthcare advice.

@civvy You may want to push for a more definitive diagnosis. MCI can be a general catchphrase that just confirms “something is happening”. There is more emphasis being placed on early testing. The old theory was that the dementia had to progress enough for a more accurate diagnosis to be made. That appears to be changing. More & more I am seeing reports, articles, etc. stressing the importance of testing as early as possible. It’s been known for some time which types of dementia affect personality at an earlier stage vs behaviors vs memory. Some medications only work at the earlier stages & most medications are specific to the type of dementia they are safe & effective for. The LBDA (Lewy Body Dementia Association) recommends early testing as its easier to get an accurate diagnosis.

Thanks so much for this comment

And medication prescribing is specific for the different types of dementia. Many meds are contraindicated in dementia and others can be helpful to some but harmful to others.
The brain is a complex organ, as we see everyday.