I know how difficult it can be to accept, when you can see there is clearly something amiss with mum or dad or grandparents in terms of their memory. As we gradually become the parents and watch them enter into older age and become more confused and agitated, it becomes difficult to know what to do for the best and accept that fact that our loved one’s maybe struggling and changing.

Knowing what to do for all concerned, can be difficult and upsetting, apart from the over consumption of thoughts around the situation as we wait for the next event to present itself to us before we are forced to act.

Hoping or wishing this situation or experience will go away will not resolve any thing. In fact by not acting soon enough situations can quickly become out of hand.

Watching your mum or dad change, as they enter into old age comes with a lot of reality, such as letting us know that one day they won’t be here. We can’t help but wonder what that might be like, as it puts us in touch with our own mortality. I know that was a clear reality for me.

From my own experience and I was fortunate to have my dad for longer than most, and between the age of 80 yrs and 86years, I noticed him become less interested in some of the things that would normally have held his interest. As I work in the health industry, it could have been accepted that this was to be all part of aging. However, there is a difference in understanding what happens in terms of old age and when memory loss with old age has arrived. The more you know the individual, the more you know what is their normal pattern of behaviour and when those pattern’s become something else.

We all experience very different relationships with our parents, some being easier than others. My dad was not the type of man to be down in mood, other than what we understand to be the accepted highs and lows of life. So when my dad started to become a little less interested in things or quiet beyond his normal behaviour, I started to wonder if there was more to it.

I would rather know what I am dealing with and believe that if you care enough, because you either witness first hand or sense something is not quite right, then, taking the steps to make an appointment at their GP is your first call to action. Waiting for things to get worse only prolongs the agony. Hoping things will get better is an illusion- they won’t.

Knowing what you are dealing with is the most important part of this journey, as it allows you to plan and structure for the changing times ahead. This way, you can attain information in order that you know what to do and what needs to be considered and put in place.

Making sure you understand what you will need to deal with and be up against is best dealt with, when one has a clear head rather than waiting for a disaster. We can make the wrong decisions when we are upset and in emotional distress, if, we are able to make them at all. Then it all becomes a bigger problem coupled with doubting our ability to cope. Putting your head in the sand or sweeping the problems it under the carpet won’t help either.

There are, at the moment ,various medications that can be prescribed, which may slow down the progression of this disease, therefore an early diagnosis is absolutely crucial ,if you wish to keep them for longer. Not doing anything is worse.

Taking action by your own admission is a lot easier to manage and deal with rather than waiting for a crisis when the outcome can be catastrophic especially to them.

So book an appointment NOW.