I would say no, not worth it, except if she is agitated and the medication could help ease her confusion or anxiety. I found it was hard to get a diagnosis for mum, not just as simple as going to the dr and memory clinic once or twice, it was a year of testing and back and forth. But I guess my mum was younger (57), they may just allow a few more presumtions for someone at 88, as so many people get a "bit of a dementia" as they age, it's kind of expected.
Is diagnosis worth it?
- Thread starter bakeja
- Start date
Thanks for this - I had lost sight of the fact that Mum shows little anxiety about her situation and constantly reassures us that she is content with her life and has good friends to support her. It is easy to get bogged down in feelings of guilt that I should be doing more, but we just have to let her live as she wants to until things get much worse.
My sister went through all the tests and I was told she had AD (I'm her nearest NOK). It was down to me and I told her. Worse day of my life. That was nine years ago and she has been in hospital or care home every since. No drugs worked. She cannot remember how to walk,talk feed herself or do anything for herself. She is totally dependent on the care home staff.
The question is. Did she need to know? IMHO yes.But it was very hard emotionally for all concerned.
The question is. Did she need to know? IMHO yes.But it was very hard emotionally for all concerned.
Still Not Sure
Like bakeja I, too, have not had a formal diagnosis for my husband; and I'm not sure I really want one.
My dear husband is eighty-eight,. I am seventy-five. He is catheterized, and has epilepsy, a deformed spine and a recently broken hip. He is totally dependent on me for everything. His mind has been slowly overtaken by confusion, especially in the early evening, when he sits taking nonsense. He has very little memory of the past,( and by past, I mean lunch!) and has even forgotten the names of our four children.
He always had a deep dread of falling prey to Alzheimer's, or dementia; and as a creative writer, the clear functioning of his mind was essential, not only to his sense of self, but to our livelihood.
Several doctors have agreed, in private, that he has dementia - but I managed to keep this diagnosis from him. He was always pretty disorganized, and the, 'forgetful writer' was quite an acceptable persona for a long time.
He will gradually fade further away , disappearing into dementia without ever being distressed by the dreaded label.
I hope I was right - but I'll never be sure.
Like bakeja I, too, have not had a formal diagnosis for my husband; and I'm not sure I really want one.
My dear husband is eighty-eight,. I am seventy-five. He is catheterized, and has epilepsy, a deformed spine and a recently broken hip. He is totally dependent on me for everything. His mind has been slowly overtaken by confusion, especially in the early evening, when he sits taking nonsense. He has very little memory of the past,( and by past, I mean lunch!) and has even forgotten the names of our four children.
He always had a deep dread of falling prey to Alzheimer's, or dementia; and as a creative writer, the clear functioning of his mind was essential, not only to his sense of self, but to our livelihood.
Several doctors have agreed, in private, that he has dementia - but I managed to keep this diagnosis from him. He was always pretty disorganized, and the, 'forgetful writer' was quite an acceptable persona for a long time.
He will gradually fade further away , disappearing into dementia without ever being distressed by the dreaded label.
I hope I was right - but I'll never be sure.
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Hello Regrog and Eleonora
Their are no rules to this, all anyone can do is their best with their knowledge abd beliefs at the time.
Please have no regrets, you have both done and are doing your best
My Mum was TOLD by one of her several unhelpful psychs
in a most callous way I thought, bandying The words Alzheimer's and Dementia about in front of mum as though they were going out of fashion
If it had been left to us, we would have told her , its poor ,memory due to old age and their are pills that will help, thankfully in time mum forgot the actual diagnosis, but after her experience with this particula Dr , she disliked him and would not cooperate in further MMSE tests he did , just sat with a big frown on her face, which turned to a look of thunder
Their are no rules to this, all anyone can do is their best with their knowledge abd beliefs at the time.
Please have no regrets, you have both done and are doing your best
My Mum was TOLD by one of her several unhelpful psychs
in a most callous way I thought, bandying The words Alzheimer's and Dementia about in front of mum as though they were going out of fashion
If it had been left to us, we would have told her , its poor ,memory due to old age and their are pills that will help, thankfully in time mum forgot the actual diagnosis, but after her experience with this particula Dr , she disliked him and would not cooperate in further MMSE tests he did , just sat with a big frown on her face, which turned to a look of thunder
Some people find it very hard to get the support they need, with or without a diagnosis.
The more you trawl through TP, the more you see that this is the case.
I've put several posts about diagnosis on my blog. This one sums up my view:
http://adventureswithdementia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/is-diagnosis-necessarily-good-thing.html
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My mum is in the slow and never ending process of being diagnosed. I have been told (not her) that she does have dimentia/Alzheimer's but we are still waiting on the which! Since noticing symptoms almost 2 years ago now (she is 57 now) it's taken me this long. I had to fight tooth and nail for the GP to take it seriously and she failed the GP dimentia test miserably. Only then did he refer her. It's taken months and she is so so much worse now and still I feel at a loss with it all. I just want to know what type she has and what I can do to help her. I don't want to lose my mum before I have had the chance to understand this and try and help her to. Because right now I treat her vertually as a child and it's not right.
Please if anyone could offer any advice or support I'd be truly grateful.
Hoping for a miracle x
Please if anyone could offer any advice or support I'd be truly grateful.
Hoping for a miracle x
With my Mother, my sister and I spoke directly to her Doctor, as my Mother (and Father) never admitted to a problem and the Doctor 'suggested' independently that mum go for a memory consultation - from this the diagnosis was then made.
Did it do any good or not?
I really am not sure. Knowing she had AD, during the early stages when she could remember having it, was a very negative period. She had increased paranoia and aggression and was in complete denial. I have no idea whether the memory drugs did any good.
On the plus side though, it energised us into getting powers of attorney sorted out before she got too paranoid and suspicious to countenance it.
She was taken off the memory medication about 18months ago and seems a lot calmer. Again whether this is to do with the memory medication or just general deterioration God only knows.
So I can see both sides of the arguement. Being told you have AD when there is no meaningful treatment and you are aware of the horribleness of the disease could be very negative for some people, including my Mum, yet I can see that for others wanting to use the diagnosis as a positive spur to achieve as much as they can - then it could be a really positive thing.
Did it do any good or not?
I really am not sure. Knowing she had AD, during the early stages when she could remember having it, was a very negative period. She had increased paranoia and aggression and was in complete denial. I have no idea whether the memory drugs did any good.
On the plus side though, it energised us into getting powers of attorney sorted out before she got too paranoid and suspicious to countenance it.
She was taken off the memory medication about 18months ago and seems a lot calmer. Again whether this is to do with the memory medication or just general deterioration God only knows.
So I can see both sides of the arguement. Being told you have AD when there is no meaningful treatment and you are aware of the horribleness of the disease could be very negative for some people, including my Mum, yet I can see that for others wanting to use the diagnosis as a positive spur to achieve as much as they can - then it could be a really positive thing.
