Module 5 Lesson 9. Changes in judgement 3. What to do if changes in judgement are more serious? The last example was a brief and one-time experience for Ivan. However, what happens if the changes in judgement experienced by a person living with dementia are more serious? Here are three examples to help you learn how to react. Mishandling finances Sophie has dementia and lives alone. Her cousin Julia has come to visit her. Despite the fact that Sophie has always been organised, Julia arrives to find that there is a large pile of unopened mail on the kitchen table. Julia wonders if Sophie has had some trouble paying her bills. She asks Sophie about her finances. Sophie cannot remember whether she has paid her bills or not, does not know when they are due, and cannot recall how much money she has in her bank account. Julia becomes quite concerned. 2. Check your understandingManaging more serious changes in judgement (1). What would you recommend to Julia? Please select all correct responses. Stay calm and call Sophie’s daughter.Go to the bank and ask for control of Sophie’s finances.Leave because she feels uneasy.Ask Sophie if she would like some help in opening her mail.Try to find out whether Sophie has someone who handles her finances, like a family member or a professional.Check Stay calm and call Sophie’s daughter. This is a good response. Mary notices that Ben may forget to drink, so she is trying to help her husband drink enough water every day. Go to the bank and ask for control of Sophie’s finances. This is not appropriate because it is Sophie’s decision to appoint a person that she is comfortable with to help manage her finances. Leave because she feels uneasy. This response is not appropriate . If Sophie has problems dealing with her finances, letting the situation continue could make things worse. Ask Sophie if she would like some help with opening her mail. This response is good because Sophie may be able to pay her bills if given the right prompts, such as opening the bills in front of her and cueing her to pay one at a time. Try to find out whether Sophie has someone who handles her finances, like a family member or a professional. This is a good response because Sophie may be at the point in her illness where she is no longer able to handle the finances on her own. If it seems that she is not getting any help with handling her finances, Julia may want to call her daughter to share her worries. Error: Please select at least one option.Please click ‘check’ to view the answers before continuing.Error: Please type your answers in the text box.