Dementia and strange sexual behaviour.

Hi [kittylester] temporal lobe dementia often causes quite significant changes in behaviour. People often become more extrovert and in some people this manifests itself in different sexual behaviour. For others it's aggression or what seems a total personality change.
Temporal lobe dementia has the habit of effecting under 65's I suggest you Google temporal lobe dementia and see if the signs and symptoms fit the person in your mind.

Sooty kittylester used wrong cymbals . I think.

Kitty, my gd has been nursing old people and has found that some of them seem to revert to childish delight in such things as faeces and wind. Other lose their inhibitions and want to talk about sex. Gently changing the subject seems to be the way to deal with it.

Kitty I think disinhibition can manifest itself in different ways in dementia.

I have read several posts on another forum (dementia caters) that tell of the persons lack of sexual inhibitions. Such as trying to touch or kiss people they shouldn't. Taking clothes off at inappropriate times. Or using sexual language and making suggestions!

It doesn't seem to be unusual. Just part of the personality changes, which go with this sad condition.

As I understand it's only those with Pick's Disease, and similar, who display this behaviour so not all patients with dementia are prone. Very distressing for the relatives and health workers.

Thank you all for your replies.

The behaviour being exhibited goes much further than just losing inhibitions and is quite worrying.

DD's friend has noticed that her father (aged 85, with no diagnosis of dementia) is behaving inappropriately around her 5 year old daughter. Her mother has said that she is imagining it. The grandparents provide lots of childcare help as DD's friend is a (divorced) single mother. Enormous can of worms!

Yes, it's known that dinhibited sexual behaviour can occasionally occur with dementia patients, and this phenomenon is included in risk assessments if there should be inapropriate touching of others, or exhibitionist behaviour, that leads to the authorities becoming involved. The context of this behaviour soon explains it, and medical notes ensure the patient isn't inadvertently treated inappropriately.

The usual safeguarding of children and other vulnerable people should be applied, kitty. He probably needs checking out with the GP, but if he's fine it should be easy to ensure he is never alone with children, unless he goes out by himself?

It often happens. I worked on a dementia unit for about 8 years. We had a nun there who ran around masturbating - I am sure that she would have been shocked by her own behaviour had she known.

And just recently my father had some problems of inappropriate sexual advances towards his paid carer. He did not have serious dementia and yet this was still a problem. Poor Dad would have been mortified if he had realised what he had done.

If a child is involved, then this does need to be taken seriously and treading on feelings would be the last consideration.

DD has suggested that her friend talk to her father's doctor and the friend has told her mother that on no account is he to be left alone with the daughter (on pain of never being allowed to look after the child again) until she has worked out in her own mind what to do. It seems as though the grandmother is taking it seriously now.

It is very hard for the family to accept this uncharacteristic behaviour and the first reaction is usually denial.
When my daughter was about 16, a gas board fitter tried to lure into his little tent. Of course she refused and we told the police. Apparently, this was the first time he had ever done such a thing and we thought perhaps he had an undiagnosed brain cancer, but now I am wondering if he had early-onset dementia - he was obviously close to retirement.

I hope your DD's friend can be trusted to put the child first, kitty. I have known many relatives who have talked responsible talk to concerned professionals, but not carried it through. Usually, supervised contact is agreed when the risk to the child has been assessed and the supervising person has demonstrated their ability to foresee any problems in such a situation.

There are lots of tips online for relatives of elderly men in these circumstances, like ensuring they are wearing underwear that covers them properly, get them trousers that don't slide down without buttons being undone, never dash out of the room to fetch him something leaving the child unsupervised, always insist on the toilet door being closed when in use and so on....

It's surprisng how many opportunities can be created and exploited by seemingly frail and harmless sexually disinhibited elderly men.

It is something to be taken seriously !!IMO

When my FIL was assessed for his vascular dementia it was explained that his basic nature will still govern much of his behaviour. Deep down he was a very sweet gentlemanly man and remained so. We did notice that his inhibitions seemed to be lowered on certain occasions when he was really suffering. Hence he became a little confused about where he should get undressed, and a gentle reminder that he needed to go upstairs to get ready for bed etc. Even before his final illness and whilst his dementia pretty much governed his life he remained calm and gentle and a perfect gentleman.
I often used to think that it would have been so much different if it had been my own father who was not a nice man prone to sulks and angry scenes when we were growing up. He was always quick to judge and see the worse in people quite unlike FIL who was a delight.

That being said I would not take any risks with young children. Dementia is complex and can distort personalities. FIL's dementia had us fooled for quite sometime and people who only met him occasionally could not understand our worries until they too had spent some time with him.
Sex is such a basic drive that if a person is entering into the dementia spectrum they may appear to be fine in most aspects of their life but they may be unable to keep control over their more basic nature. I think what I am trying to say is that even if this man does not seem to be showing any other signs he is obviously acting our urges that until now have either been sublimated or ignored. THis is not acceptable and must be addressed and on no account can he be left in sole charge of a child ever.

DD's friend is not letting the grass grow and has an appointment with the Gp.

Hilda, my mother is a perfect example of her basic nature coming out now she has dementia. I just wish she had been a calm, gentle person before rather than the aggressive person that is now made worse by her advance into dementia.

Whilst talking about this I have discovered that a friend's lovely Dad is now making huge sexual demands on his wife (her Mum) and complains to his daughters if he is not 'satisfied' and suggests one of them might like to take her place. Mostly, they can manage to see the funny side - but not always.

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You’re determined aren’t you cathyparker
Reported

Brendawymms
I think you meant to write 'affecting' and 'symbols'.

Reported

kittylester try The National Dementia Helpline for advice
0300 222 11 22

I was told a long time back that some, not all, people with MS can have increased sexual desires.

Inappropriate behaviour can be caused by all sorts of mental health issues. I would certainly want to find out just what is going on if it were me. Not always easy with an adult though.