Grandma ‘discovers’ she has grandchildren every day on account of dementia
A grandmother who suffers from dementia meets her grandchildren every day for the “first time” in “bittersweet” second.
Josie Hunt, a 65-year-old girl identified with Korsakoff syndrome – a type of dementia induced by alcohol, rediscovers she is a grandmother every day. Despite her reminiscence challenges, Josie’s response to assembly her grandchildren is bittersweet and stuffed with love.
Josie’s daughter, Jade Mead, 35, brings her youngsters Marli, three, and Lottie, simply three months outdated, to go to their grandmother frequently. Every time they meet, Josie expresses shock, saying: “Jade, you didn’t tell me you had children.”
Josie is rarely upset by “discovering” her grandchildren, and loves cuddling each her granddaughters.
Not solely does Josie overlook about her grandchildren, however she additionally does not keep in mind that her sister Hayley Hunt, 41, has a child.
Jade, a health coach hailing from Perth, Australia, mentioned: “It’s a strange one as she has all her long-term memory still. It’s a bittersweet moment when she sees the kids.”
Josie’s dementia was triggered by alcohol consumption following a gastric sleeve operation in February 2020. Unfortunately, her health deteriorated rapidly, leading to the diagnosis of Korsakoff syndrome in October of the same year.
Jade believes her mother’s decline can be traced back to the gastric sleeve operation.
She said: “I believe it stemmed from the gastric sleeve operation. Her health started declining from there. She looked so frail. She had been drinking alcohol which we didn’t know about, and you shouldn’t do that.”
The excessive intake of alcohol is believed to have deprived Josie’s brain of vital nutrients, resulting in brain damage and memory loss. Jade defined: “She declined in a short time. She wasn’t making any sense.”
Despite the challenges Josie faces, she has been informed that her condition is not expected to worsen significantly in the near future. In each precious moment she spends with her grandchildren, Josie sees the positive side.
She said: “She’s always been very loving. My three-year-old doesn’t ask any questions but I just tell her, ‘Nanny forgets’.”
Josie now resides in a supported living home where she receives the care and assistance she needs.
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