Is diagnosis worth knowing
- Thread starter Sheila718
- Start date
Hello and welcome. Get it done, his issues could be something else like a tumor or is in my case viral encephalitis which may be treatable.
Please get the scan done, if not for a diagnosis at least to rule out other possibilities.
I've had a few CT scans and I'd rather have another than giving blood sample, I hate doing that and I used to be a nurse. K
Please get the scan done, if not for a diagnosis at least to rule out other possibilities.
I've had a few CT scans and I'd rather have another than giving blood sample, I hate doing that and I used to be a nurse. K
There are lots of different types of dementia, not just Alzheimers
The main advantage of knowing which type of dementia you have is in medication. Some drugs can only be given to a particular type of dementia (eg donepezil can only be used for Alzheimers) and other types of dementia cannot be given some medication (eg with Lewy Body Dementia there are quite a few drugs that you cant give)
If you have a diagnosis of dementia (any type) it is easier to get benefits - Attendance Allowance and then Council Tax disregard. There are usually dementia hubs or other activities which are designed for people with dementia and often offer support and information to their carers, but you cant access them without a diagnosis. As the dementia progresses, day care, respite and (ultimately) a care home may become necessary, but places that would be suitable will only accept people with a diagnosis.
I know all of this as OH does not have a diagnosis (long story) and I truly wish that he had.
The main advantage of knowing which type of dementia you have is in medication. Some drugs can only be given to a particular type of dementia (eg donepezil can only be used for Alzheimers) and other types of dementia cannot be given some medication (eg with Lewy Body Dementia there are quite a few drugs that you cant give)
If you have a diagnosis of dementia (any type) it is easier to get benefits - Attendance Allowance and then Council Tax disregard. There are usually dementia hubs or other activities which are designed for people with dementia and often offer support and information to their carers, but you cant access them without a diagnosis. As the dementia progresses, day care, respite and (ultimately) a care home may become necessary, but places that would be suitable will only accept people with a diagnosis.
I know all of this as OH does not have a diagnosis (long story) and I truly wish that he had.
💗 Hello
It can be useful when dealing with other professionals and also carers. We have only just received a diagnosis after a number of years and it seemed at times that no-one believed what we were saying as carers/family.
For us ourselves we knew what it was and it came as no surprise or relief either.
You can still access things like attendance allowance without a diagnosis.
We have not told our loved one either but for some people it might be useful to know. There is medication sometimes as well following a formal diagnose , we haven't notice any improvement taking it , I think it is called donzepil ? or similar but some people might.
It can be useful when dealing with other professionals and also carers. We have only just received a diagnosis after a number of years and it seemed at times that no-one believed what we were saying as carers/family.
For us ourselves we knew what it was and it came as no surprise or relief either.
You can still access things like attendance allowance without a diagnosis.
We have not told our loved one either but for some people it might be useful to know. There is medication sometimes as well following a formal diagnose , we haven't notice any improvement taking it , I think it is called donzepil ? or similar but some people might.
♥️ Ours was also quite a complex journey too. At times I doubted my own sanity but we never gave up believing we knew our loved one best. I completely understand the feeling of not being believed xx
hello. i am in the US so it may be a bit different. we do not have all the help and assistance available once given a diagnosis. as both my maternal grandparents had Alzheimer’s/dementia, it was easy to recognize when my mother started showing symptoms. I didn’t bother getting a formal diagnosis bc it wasnt worth the trouble. at the time I was living 4 hours away and trying to manage all doctor’s appts and everything else alone. her MD claimed she “passed” the initial memory test and didnt seem interested in pursuing further testing, even though it was painfully obvious to me she was having short term memory issues. as a retired college professor, she was good at masking how bad it was for a while. a formal diagnosis wasn’t going to change the fact that she needed care and living home alone was not an option anymore. if the USA provided more assistance, I definitely would have pushed harder to get a diagnosis. wishing you the best.
