Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to dementia care. Really pleased to find the forum - it looks like a great place to share ideas and questions. I have spent a very frustrating year trying to get some/any sort of medical help for my mother-in-law who blatantly has dementia and is deteriorating mentally and physically however her GP cannot see this.
I have just read 'Contented Dementia' by Oliver James and have gone from feeling helpless and frustrated to feeling totally empowered to understand the disease and to care for mum-in-law for the rest of her life. Would recommend anyone dealing with a dementia sufferer in any capacity to read this book.
However, I am still concerned that she has had no medical assessment so we do not know what is causing the dementia and whether there is any treatment that could help. Her GP claims that he cannot refer her for a dementia assessment unless she requests it herself and wont believe that she doesnt have the capacity to do this. Which leaves me the only option of trying to confront her with her dementia which only makes things worse. She sometimes says that she's having problems with her memory but wont agree to go and see anyone and even if she did she would have forgotten by the time we got there!
What I would like to know is - just how important is medical assessment for dementia and does anyone have any tips for getting over this hurdle.
I have just read 'Contented Dementia' by Oliver James and have gone from feeling helpless and frustrated to feeling totally empowered to understand the disease and to care for mum-in-law for the rest of her life. Would recommend anyone dealing with a dementia sufferer in any capacity to read this book.
However, I am still concerned that she has had no medical assessment so we do not know what is causing the dementia and whether there is any treatment that could help. Her GP claims that he cannot refer her for a dementia assessment unless she requests it herself and wont believe that she doesnt have the capacity to do this. Which leaves me the only option of trying to confront her with her dementia which only makes things worse. She sometimes says that she's having problems with her memory but wont agree to go and see anyone and even if she did she would have forgotten by the time we got there!
What I would like to know is - just how important is medical assessment for dementia and does anyone have any tips for getting over this hurdle.