Hi
I'm brand new here but have been reading for about 18 months, when it became apparent between lockdowns that my Dad had developed rapid-onset dementia. Getting a diagnosis for him was actually quite easy as he has had Parkinsons for over 20 years and began behaving in a way which put my Mum at risk. He was hospitalized and then transferred for assessment in a care home and he has stayed there, superbly cared for, for over a year now. He has Lewy Bodies dementia, which has largely stabilized since medicating with some sort of "patch", not sure what its called I'm afraid.
But..........Mum is now home alone (we live 50 miles apart, usual issues with jobs, children etc preventing us being on the spot as much as perhaps now necessary) In the last 12 months we have noticed she is developing memory problems; the usual forgetting stuff but also repeating things we say back to us as though its new information she is giving us/ lack of awareness of things and events around her/being unable to follow new tv shows and re-watching only very familiar things/ muddling up family members/ increased gullibility etc. It seems to have developed quite rapidly in the time since Dad left; its almost like not having him to care for, she has stopped trying and her brain has atrophied? I took her to the GP and she scored 15 on the memory test the GP did, who said its likely she has dementia but needs to refer her to an adult psychiatry team for assessment, which will take 6-12 months to come through on the NHS and then I believe the actual diagnosis may take even longer to be confirmed?
Mum has Benenden health care insurance but they don't seem to cover "mental health" issues so its likely they won't go anywhere with the psychiatry referral which has been made, although if she then needs MRIs etc they may cover these.
Is it worth getting her a private diagnosis and if so how much is it likely to cost and does anyone have any recommendations of where to go where she lives in Kent (Tunbridge Wells area) or where we live in Surrey (Guildford area) ?
We have PoA for both parents already in place and she voluntarily handed us financial control as soon as Dad was diagnoized, so we know what she can afford, which is some £££ but not loads ££££.
Additionally, on a purely selfish note, if I have 2 parents with Dementia do I need to worry about myself & my children? Is it genetic? None of my Grandparents had it and I know 3 great grandparents didn't either but the other great grandparents died young/are unknown medically.
If any more info will help with any advice or recommendations please just say!
Thanks for all your help
I'm brand new here but have been reading for about 18 months, when it became apparent between lockdowns that my Dad had developed rapid-onset dementia. Getting a diagnosis for him was actually quite easy as he has had Parkinsons for over 20 years and began behaving in a way which put my Mum at risk. He was hospitalized and then transferred for assessment in a care home and he has stayed there, superbly cared for, for over a year now. He has Lewy Bodies dementia, which has largely stabilized since medicating with some sort of "patch", not sure what its called I'm afraid.
But..........Mum is now home alone (we live 50 miles apart, usual issues with jobs, children etc preventing us being on the spot as much as perhaps now necessary) In the last 12 months we have noticed she is developing memory problems; the usual forgetting stuff but also repeating things we say back to us as though its new information she is giving us/ lack of awareness of things and events around her/being unable to follow new tv shows and re-watching only very familiar things/ muddling up family members/ increased gullibility etc. It seems to have developed quite rapidly in the time since Dad left; its almost like not having him to care for, she has stopped trying and her brain has atrophied? I took her to the GP and she scored 15 on the memory test the GP did, who said its likely she has dementia but needs to refer her to an adult psychiatry team for assessment, which will take 6-12 months to come through on the NHS and then I believe the actual diagnosis may take even longer to be confirmed?
Mum has Benenden health care insurance but they don't seem to cover "mental health" issues so its likely they won't go anywhere with the psychiatry referral which has been made, although if she then needs MRIs etc they may cover these.
Is it worth getting her a private diagnosis and if so how much is it likely to cost and does anyone have any recommendations of where to go where she lives in Kent (Tunbridge Wells area) or where we live in Surrey (Guildford area) ?
We have PoA for both parents already in place and she voluntarily handed us financial control as soon as Dad was diagnoized, so we know what she can afford, which is some £££ but not loads ££££.
Additionally, on a purely selfish note, if I have 2 parents with Dementia do I need to worry about myself & my children? Is it genetic? None of my Grandparents had it and I know 3 great grandparents didn't either but the other great grandparents died young/are unknown medically.
If any more info will help with any advice or recommendations please just say!
Thanks for all your help
