Should a senior with moderate dementia have cataract surgery to improve vision?
One thing you don’t want to do is frighten her or make her angry. Dementia changes people’s personalities, as I’m sure you’ve discovered. My father, age 79 has moderate dementia. One of his joys is watching “the tube.” If his cataracts were hampering that, it would make him unhappy and probably depressed. In his case, I would probably have it done, but I’d need to explain it to him over and over again before he remembered it. It also depends on how much care she has. Is she in assisted living or a nursing home or living with you. What do her doctors and caregivers say? What does she say, does she seem to want it at the time you’re talking to her? I’m sure she wouldn’t remember the conversation, but she may be able to say what she wants. This is a hard decision, but the important thing is if this would be an improvement in how her life is FOR HER, not for you. Good luck!
