Memory test score.

[Newanne]

Hello, my husband, well what can I say. He has all the signs of dementia, he has changed so much over the last 2y. All his friends tell me he's getting worse, he's a different person. Can't do DIY, can't do any organising, short term memory is shocking. Can't seem to make a decision on his own, has fallen for scams, has lost his way on routes he knows well, at times can't work out money, askes the same question several times a day, booked an mot 6 weeks after it had been done, forgot completely he'd been to hospital last year. Talks about his childhood all the time. Sorry but I could go on. He sits all day doing crosswords and watches quiz programmes, he can answer the most obscure question.

Now here is the mystery he's just been to memory clinic and scored 93/100 the nurse told him that shows no dementia, not even MCI. It's just age. 🫣🫣🫣😮😮😮😮. How can this be?? He's over the moon, I'm at a loss.

 

[Sarasa]

Hi @Newanne, I assume your husband is a very intelligent man, so he can probably compensate in the sort of test the Memory clinic do. Both my mother and mother-in-law could do well in memory tests even though they were struggling with other areas of their lives. We just had to wait until things were further down the line to get anywhere.
I think keep a diary of all your concerns and go back to the GP in six months and explain you'd like your husband to be re-tested.
I'm sorry that you haven't got anywhere today, and I'm also assuming your husband thinks he is fine even though you and his friends think other wise. It must be very frustrating for you, and very annoying he isn't getting the help he needs.

 

[Newanne]

Hi Sarasa, thank you for your reply. Yes my husband is very intelligent, he's worked in a drawing office (aerospace) in charge of his department, he build our house himself, everything from building walls putting in bathrooms/kitchen etc. He's built 2 cars and renovated 2 others He can't even cut a shelf to size now, or sort his money out. A curtain rail took him over 3h to fit, asking me all the time what to do, how to measure etc, It was a 10min job. He was in charge of everything in his life, now he just takes instruction. So so sad to see.

 

[Banjomansmate]

My concern would be that he is still driving!

 

[karaokePete]

Hello @Newanne

I was in a similar position with my wife, also a very intelligent person, prior to her diagnosis.

I kept detailed notes of all unusual 'behaviours' etc and the memory clinic decided to have scans done. It was the scans that showed the brain damage and led to the diagnosis.

 

[Kevinl]

There could be another reason of a physical nature. Several years down the line after I contracted viral encephalitis and my brain still gets a bit foggy sometimes. Might be worth a him a general health checkover with the GP.
K

 

[Tricot]

Now here is the mystery he's just been to memory clinic and scored 93/100 the nurse told him that shows no dementia, not even MCI. It's just age.

It seems incredible that these tests can result in scores like this and yet it's as clear as day to you and your friends that your husband is showing many signs of dementia.

I kept detailed notes of all unusual 'behaviours' etc and the memory clinic decided to have scans done. It was the scans that showed the brain damage and led to the diagnosis.

I hope by following karaokePete's advice you're able to persuade the memory clinic to pursue further tests and stop denying your reality. Good luck.

 

[Newanne]

They did say at memory clinic they will be in touch as she had to show the doctor the results before an official result. I'm still in shock. It was so difficult to give them the full details when husband is upset, angry, suspicion and defensive in the assessment. I tried to be honest but maybe was too gentle. I would encourage anyone else to write a letter before hand. Wish I'd thought of that.

 

[Violet Jane]

Did you see your husband actually perform the test? How did he do? Or did your husband report everything to you? I find it strange that the nurse said that age was an explanation for your husband's behaviour. Isn't he only in his early or mid seventies? People without dementia can fully manage their lives at that age. They don't have problems remembering appointments or with planning and organisation.

I'm not familiar with the test which is scored out of 100 as the one that my mother took was scored out of 30. However, I think that the tests don't seem to test planning, organisation and executive function.

I think that you should keep a diary and record everything that you think is unusual or worrying and push for a scan. There's definitely something wrong. You're not imagining things.

 

[Newanne]

Did you see your husband actually perform the test? How did he do? Or did your husband report everything to you? I find it strange that the nurse said that age was an explanation for your husband's behaviour. Isn't he only in his early or mid seventies? People without dementia can fully manage their lives at that age. They don't have problems remembering appointments or with planning and organisation.

I'm not familiar with the test which is scored out of 100 as the one that my mother took was scored out of 30. However, I think that the tests don't seem to test planning, organisation and executive function.

I think that you should keep a diary and record everything that you think is unusual or worrying and push for a scan. There's definitely something wrong. You're not imagining things.

Oh violet Jane- thank you for your reply. Hubby score 93/100 the questions were fine he just needed to think hard before answering. She seemed to ignore everything we/i told her and it was just the score she kept saying there can't be anything wrong. Funnily we went to a pay and display car park afterwards and hubby got very agitated because he couldn't understand about paying, he kept say we need to pay to get off, we can't get out if we don't pay. I explained 2/3 times we had paid when we arrived. but this is NOT normal aging. Will write a report on his behaviour and get it to the memory clinic. Just wait and see now. I'm at a loss.

 

[Violet Jane]

Others can advise you but MRIs don't always show changes to the brain indicative of dementia. There's another type of scan that will but I don't know what it's called.

Well, the incident in the car park is your first entry in your diary? He couldn't understand a pay and display system / couldn't distinguish between it and a barrier type payment system / couldn't remember that you'd used a pay and display system. He's a driver and travels by car and so it's not as if he's unfamiliar with car parking payment systems. I wonder what he would do if he had to pay by phone.

How old is your husband by the way?

 

[Newanne]

He's 75y. At the assessment he couldn't remember that, he thought about it a while then looked at me and asked if he was 73 or 74?

 

[canary]

My OH was told that it was just age too

He was 62 at the time.....

 

[Newanne]

My OH was told that it was just age too

He was 62 at the time.....

Oh canary 😮 62 is so young to have signs of dementia. How did thing develop?

 

[maisiecat]

My husband did the test where they had to draw a clock. How did you get on I asked. He replied it was easy I copied the clock on the wall!!
I was at a couple of his tests where they prompted him continually. My view was they wanted to keep him with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment even though they gave him a dementia drug.
The downside of this was he had a complete collapse with psychosis and is now in a Dementia home because we had no support in place.
Go with your instincts,he's your husband you will know him better than anyone.

 

[Newanne]

My husband did the test where they had to draw a clock. How did you get on I asked. He replied it was easy I copied the clock on the wall!!
I was at a couple of his tests where they prompted him continually. My view was they wanted to keep him with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment even though they gave him a dementia drug.
The downside of this was he had a complete collapse with psychosis and is now in a Dementia home because we had no support in place.
Go with your instincts,he's your husband you will know him better than anyone.

The nurse seemed to prompt him at times, his age, the name and address. I'm a little angry today thinking through the assessment. But will send letter and just wait and see. Hubby very happy so that's something. Thanks everyone for your replies, I was thinking I should stop using this forum as nurse said no dementia but I now feel supported. Bless you all.

 

[Violet Jane]

I think that that nurse acted very unprofessionally as she didn’t carry out a true test of cognitive ability. By prompting your husband she was taking an overly positive view of his responses and inflating the scores. Please mention this in very strong terms in your letter. Your husband should have been able to provide basic factual information about himself without prompting.

From what you have told us there is clearly something very wrong with your husband. His deficits do point to dementia but there could be another explanation. But there’s clearly a problem.

Please keep pushing for further tests. Many posters report that their PWD did well on these tests when they couldn’t cope with day to day life. Would some of your friends be prepared to write a note explaining how they think your husband has changed? Ask them to be really specific and give examples.

 

[Newanne]

I think that that nurse acted very unprofessionally as she didn’t carry out a true test of cognitive ability. By prompting your husband she was taking an overly positive view of his responses and inflating the scores. Please mention this in very strong terms in your letter. Your husband should have been able to provide basic factual information about himself without prompting.

From what you have told us there is clearly something very wrong with your husband. His deficits do point to dementia but there could be another explanation. But there’s clearly a problem.

Please keep pushing for further tests. Many posters report that their PWD did well on these tests when they couldn’t cope with day to day life. Would some of your friends be prepared to write a note explaining how they think your husband has changed? Ask them to be really specific and give examples.

Thank you violet Jane. How I feel right now I don't see any point in pushing this. I'm not sure he could cope with going through it again. The 2 day previous we had silence, anger and tears. He didn't sleep and got so upset with me, not sure it's worth all this. I've come out to tia chi (would recommend it) left him doing crosswords which he does all day.

 

[Newanne]

Well after a terrible experience at the memory clinic, my oh got an appointment for a MRI. We went, he had it, got told maybe just a follow up call if all's OK. He now has a letter to go back to memory clinic to discuss the results. The letter say, 'please bring someone with you for support,' do I take it that they have found something on the scan?

 

[karaokePete]

It was a scan that showed my wife's brain damage and led to the diagnosis (she was a very intelligent person and only 61 or 62 at the time).

If a diagnosis is given be prepared for shock to cause some agitation. I had to do a lot of talking and reassuring with my wife.