Dad Passes GP Memory Tests but...

[Gjp65]

Hi

For info I have just signed up to the forum and seeking some advice and the benefit of others experience.

I am very concerned that my 82 year old dad has some form of dementia. He is physically fit and even runs three miles three times a week. He has always kept mentally alert by reading and crosswords etc .

His memory has be deteriorating rapidly over last two years and the rate of deterioration seems to be rapidly increasing. Examples include: unable to drive to a known and familiar destination; forgetting recent family events; confusion over simple and familiar tasks such as recording a TV programme; fussing over trivia and getting agitated over inability to do simple things; inability to remember basic info from one day to the next; erosion of confidence to deal with life.

I first took him to the GP a year ago when he was scammed on the doorstep and paid a thousand pound out (I managed to get the money back). The doctor ran through the standard memory test which dad passed and said there was no basis to refer on. My dad continues to deteriorate and last week I took him to the GP again - same test same response from the doctor.

My concern is that when the day comes when he fails the test he will be too far gone to benefit from any treatment to slow the rate of deterioration. I think we are in a Catch 22 situation.

Dad is devoted to my mum who last week fell and broke her hip and is currently in hospital. She already has severe osteoporosis. The stress of this has led to even more confusion and inability to take in and retain information.

My dad is the primary carer for my mum. We need to know if Dad has a dementia so we can plan and put support in place.

Any advice appreciated. I think I need to insist on a scan if this is only way to be sure? His mental deterioration is really shocking at the moment.

Thanks

Gary P

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Gary.

You will need to persevere with your dad's GP.

It might help to keep a diary of behaviours which concern you, perhaps over a couple of weeks , and see your dad's GP privately. He won't discuss your dad with you but will listen to what you have to say. If your concerns are supported by a written log, it will add validity.

It is well known for people with dementia to present themselves in an extremely positive and competent manner. It's usually only close family who witness the difficulties first hand.

My husband was seeing our GP for a year before he was diagnosed. This was to eliminate possibilities other than dementia.

Don't give up , just be patient.

 

[Gjp65]

Thanks for your swift reply. I will keep the log as you suggest to support the anecdotal stuff.

If he does get a referral what kind of evaluation would happen and what kind of treatment programme is available? I appreciate the latter would depend on what type of dementia he had. Apologies I am coming at it from a low knowledge base!

Thanks G

 

[Beate]

Usually there will be a referral to the memory clinic. They will do memory tests, blood tests and a brain scan. It's not an exact science so your input about his behaviour change will be valuable too. If he is diagnosed with Alzheimer's or mixed (Alzheimer's and vascular) there is medication to help. There isn't usually for the other forms.

Please note that there is lots you can do even before a diagnosis - you can read up on dementia (there are tons of factsheets on this website), you can get in touch with the Alzheimer's Society and the Carers Centre, you can contact Adult Social Services to ask for a needs assessment, and you can get Power of Attorney in place. That one is especially important while your Dad still has mental capacity.

 

[Bunpoots]

My dad scored full on the tests. But fortunately his GP knew enough about dementia to recognise that the symptoms you mention (it was his arriving late for a GP appointment, having got lost on the way there that alerted the GP to something being wrong) added up to possible dementia.

They did blood tests to rule out vitamin deficiencies, which can cause confusion and memory loss, and then referred him to the memory clinic when these came back negative.

As Grannie G says - inform the doctor of what you've noticed and ask that your dad be tested.

 

[jugglingmum]

My mum also scored highly on the memory tests, to the level that she was boderline for referral at the stage she could no longer live unsupported, the memory clinic did tell us that they don't really work for high functioning people, and if the GP doesn't take into account background info you need to see another one.

As Bunpoots says blood tests should be done by the GP to rule out other things, as they can cause similar confusion. It is more a diagnosis of elimination than a positive diagnosis. As Beate says, except for the actual diagnosis being Alzheimer's, in which case some medication which might slow it down is given, then the approach is much the same, with or without diagnosis, and the action Beate suggests should be followed through. If you think dad needs carers, or other support, get on and sort it out, as a diagnosis is just a label for an existing problem.

 

[Gjp65]

Thanks all for your swift and full replies which are really helpful. Next steps for me up my own knowledge and awareness and persuade dad to see another doctor and press for memory clinic referral. Thank you. G

 

[Red19]

No advice to offer but just wanted to offer support and to thank you, as so much of this rang true with me, we are in a very similar situation with my mum and it's unbelievably frustrating.

Seeing those issues with your own eyes and then been told nothing has been detected is awful. I felt like a horrible person as I felt I should be relieved when instead I felt let down and as though we had been abandoned.

 

[Lawson58]

My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's almost four years ago. When he was first given those memory tests, he scored 29/30 and even now he scores 25/30 so it is important to understand that those memory tests are just a tool which may or may not indicate Alzheimer's.

The testing done by the memory clinic is far more extensive and revealing and shows decline in his attention, planning and organizational abilities and difficulty with problem solving in both visual and spatial areas.

It was through the support of our GP that my husband agreed to be assessed and I think you need to see your dad's GP on your own armed with a record of the things you have noticed with your dad. The GP might not be prepared to discuss your dad with you but if he doesn't hear you out, then I think you need to find yourself another GP. It is not good enough to assume that because someone can pass the superficial memory test that they are not experiencing problems.

 

[Onmyown]

Mum had brain scan 7yrs ago and diagnosed with "vascular deterioration". I said dementia? He said "there will be dementia". I went to him privately as her gp was doing nothing and kept saying she was depressed? If you can find a good geriatrician they seem to know more and I'm not impressed with how GPS handle this to be honest mum is scoring 27/30 whoopee? Comes home and pees everywhere? Doctors are not qualified to diagnose dementia your dad should be referred to geriatrics my mum's geriatrician is in tune with her behaviour and has utmost respect for carers.

 

[Onmyown]

Sorry meant to say that mum's frustration and aggression was the start of it but it's when her hygiene got bad I knew something was very wrong. Also no sense of danger, money etc but everyone with dementia is different and there are also different types of dementia mums is vascular which I think is down to her badly controlled diabetes. I really hope you get the right person for your dad as it's very stressful when GPS don't take your concerns on board. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Lawson58]

Mum had brain scan 7yrs ago and diagnosed with "vascular deterioration". I said dementia? He said "there will be dementia". I went to him privately as her gp was doing nothing and kept saying she was depressed? If you can find a good geriatrician they seem to know more and I'm not impressed with how GPS handle this to be honest mum is scoring 27/30 whoopee? Comes home and pees everywhere? Doctors are not qualified to diagnose dementia your dad should be referred to geriatrics my mum's geriatrician is in tune with her behaviour and has utmost respect for carers.

I don't really think it matters which Doctor is the most helpful, just as long as you find one who is going to support you and listen to you.

We saw the geriatrician last week and all he did was talk about the Ashes. So far he has given us four different diagnoses, all Alzheimer's related but if he doesn't really know I would rather he came out and said so. We see him once every six months.

I have no idea of where we would be without our GP. Beccause OH has massive cardiac problems, we see a lot of our GP and consequently he knows him very well and can talk him into anything. He has no problem in having a discussion with me about OH's progress or my concerns and because he is also my GP he understands my own welfare issues.

 

[Bellabell]

How frustrating, if you are very intelligent you will pass the tests! You need to do some pushing, the dementia drug really helped my mum, but you need to show you can remember to take it!! Yes a catch 22, we had to phone her every day (she lives 4 hours away) and eventually a daily carer went in, just to tell her to take the tablet, if she had had it earlier we may have saved more memory! Diary of events sounds good and your mum can remind him to take tablets (they must be taken regularly every day or they cause nausea).