Korsakoffs Syndrome I work as an alcohol counseller and work with people who...

My father is 83 drinks to excess, he drinks up to 10 pints per session at least two or three times per week, reducing his intake on other days

I am very concerned about his behaviour, he has always to a degree lived in the past and been an obsessive talker, but things are really getting out of control now, he talks incessently repeating the same things over and over again, even if we tell him he has told us on many occasions, he will not desist from talking, if we try to stop him, he becomes verbally aggressive, particularly with my mother - her life is now becoming intolerable, because of his behaviour, he forces her to sit down and listen to him going on and on.

I do not live near my parents, but have had them to stay recently and saw a great deterioration in his behaviour. He can remember things from his distant past, but is now having some problems in

retaining new information.

Do you recognise any of these syptoms and what can I do to help him and my mother.

Best wishes

Ann

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I feel that people with Korsakoffs are not given the chances that they deserve once they are diagnosed. There is a misinterpretation that they need long term care which is totally wrong. I work in a rehab unit totally dedicated for people with Korsakoffs which works really well, often people can go home andlive independently. NEVER let anyone place you in a nursing home without the chance of a rehab programme

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I find the above comments very enlightening. After reading an article in this week's Big Issue (Scotland), the above and the article from Patient Uk I think Korsakoff's syndrome is what my husband is suffering from. He is at present temporarily in a nursing home which is obviously not the right place for him. My problem is how do I get him diagnosed to get him the correct treatment? He began acting very peculiarly over 2 years ago and on hospitalisation it was discovered he had brain damage. We just assumed he had fallen whilst drunk. I am now beginning to wonder if we were wrong in this assumption. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

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