Most Dementia Patients 'Return' Before Death And It's Unclear Why

[Judi Lynn]

07 May 2024
By YEN LIM & DINY THOMSON, THE CONVERSATION

Dementia is often described as "the long goodbye". Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the qualities that make someone "them".

Dementia eventually takes away the person's ability to communicate, eat and drink on their own, understand where they are, and recognise family members.

Since as early as the 19th century, stories from loved ones, caregivers and health-care workers have described some people with dementia suddenly becoming lucid. They have described the person engaging in meaningful conversation, sharing memories that were assumed to have been lost, making jokes, and even requesting meals.

It is estimated 43 percent of people who experience this brief lucidity die within 24 hours, and 84 percent within a week.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/most-dementia-patients-return-before-death-and-its-unclear-why

[woodsprite]

1. My FIL fell into the 84% group. nt

[Hekate]

2. How fascinating

[Irish_Dem]

3. How lucid was he and how long did the episode last?

[Irish_Dem]

4. This means cognitive skills may not be lost during dementia?

But in some sort of abeyance?

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Sounds like something is blocking cognitive skills, and whatever it is loses potency as the person's

body begins to deteriorate?

[Irish_Dem]

6. Yes.

During the dying process there is some sort of chemical change in the brain.

Chemicals blocking the cognitive processes are dying too.
Or some chemicals are produced which enhance brain functioning.

If researchers could study this in more depth, maybe we could find a cure
for dementia?

[Baitball Blogger]

7. We definitely need a cure for this.

[jmbar2]

8. Fascinating

I used to watch 60 Minutes every week when my dad was in a nursing home with Parkinson's-related dementia. It was his favorite program. He was pretty much nonverbal by this point in his life. He had worked most of his career in the oil industry.

The program did a segment on the merger of Exxon and Mobil. He suddenly blurted out "Too much concentrated power". That was the last coherent thing I remember him saying.

[Random Boomer]

9. Dead-Cat Bounce

I've never seen this rally linked specifically to dementia patients; it's been observed in terminal patients in general. A brief spurt of energy and lucidity can fool family into thinking their loved one is recovering (despite medical staff telling them differently); the ensuing death catches them by surprise (and may lead to them blaming the medical staff).

My own mother experienced this bounce. Over the course of months she had been increasingly confused by a series of mini-strokes, then one afternoon she was perfectly composed, lucid, even cheerful. We chatted about her finishing her memoirs (at this point she couldn't read or write) and made plans to go on an outing. A few days later she crashed -- weak, cold to the touch as her circulation shut down -- and she slipped into coma while at the ER. She died a few hours later.