1point better!

[PeterG]

Havn't posted for some time as I've been installing a new kitchen, something Jen always wanted, so best to do it while she can get some benefit. But of course learning where the fridge is takes a bit longer!
Jen scored 1 point better in her memory test last month, 15 compared to 14 7 months ago. Still too close to the 12 point where Aricept gets stopped, but I get a big smile when I remind her of this success, once a day!
Best regards to all.

 

[Brucie]

Hello Peter

Good news! Anything that brings out a smile is always most welcome, more especially so when there has been a positive development, no matter how small.

I did the kitchen thing too, during the last few years Jan was at home, and yes, moving things around does confuse!

Even though Jan has been in her care home for 3 years, I'm still doing things to the house that I should have done for her when she was around. Guess it is a sort of delayed guilt at not having done the things for her before, but we never did put that much stock in 'things', and always preferred just to be together for our 35 years. Good choice, in retrospect.

 

[John Bottomley]

MMSE of 12

Still too close to the 12 point where Aricept gets stopped

I'm more than a little worried about this!

People with dementia can't just get their medication from their GP since it has to have specialist assessment. And the reason for specialist assessment is so that folks can do more than just a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) test! NICE guidelines require overall function and carer burden to be looked at, and not just MMSE score.

Round our neighbourhood it's quite the converse.

Many folks within mainstream services and support groups have an MMSE of under 12 but remain on medication since it's clearly helpful (and when stopped things got worse, so was restarted).

If your local services are being a tad ruthless with stopping medications, then this needs thrashing out, as access to medication is goverened by far more than one MMSE score on one day.