My mother is going through the process of having her memory loss investigated and diagnosed. I initiated the process, and so far she has seen the doctor and has appointments for a brain scan and a psychiatric evaluation.
I wanted the diagnosis because her social services assessment of her needs is very low at the moment and I want any future assessment to take into account her dementia. She is self-funding, and will be for some time, perhaps the rest of her life, but mum is coming to live near me, and I foresee that I will still need social services help for some things, such as obtaining respite care and other services. In planning her future care, it would also be helpful to have some kind of prognosis.
Mum is quite anxious, and angry, about the suggestion she has dementia, even though she is co-operating.
A friend who is a GP says she sees no benefit in diagnosis since there is little that can be done to help and it just distresses the patient.
Now I'm wondering whether I have done the right thing.
I wanted the diagnosis because her social services assessment of her needs is very low at the moment and I want any future assessment to take into account her dementia. She is self-funding, and will be for some time, perhaps the rest of her life, but mum is coming to live near me, and I foresee that I will still need social services help for some things, such as obtaining respite care and other services. In planning her future care, it would also be helpful to have some kind of prognosis.
Mum is quite anxious, and angry, about the suggestion she has dementia, even though she is co-operating.
A friend who is a GP says she sees no benefit in diagnosis since there is little that can be done to help and it just distresses the patient.
Now I'm wondering whether I have done the right thing.