Is this to be expected

[Sharonr164]

Hi. My dad currently being assessed by EMHT. He scored 71 on his ACE III. Next step was to see consultant and wait on CT. CT scan will be a few months. Saw consultant yesterday who was quite dismissive. His 10 min consultation resulted in him telling my parents that he may have mild cognitive impairment and not Alzheimer’s or dementia. This may sound great to some folk but I’m unsure how he can make this judgement without a CT scan. He also skimmed through the notes during the appointment and didn’t seem to have read them beforehand. He asked if my dad forgets to switch the oven off. The answer is no because he cannot follow simple instructions to make dinner now. He asked if he forgot the lock the door at night. The answer is always no because he worked in a psychiatric hospital for over 30 years and has always locked the doors when he is in the house , force of habit for him. I feel these questions weren’t appropriate. With regards to driving he has been told to keep driving but if he starts getting mixed up or lost tk tell my mum and me and if he starts hesitating when driving to tell us. My understanding was that a score below 86 warranted further investigations and assessment. The consultant also could tell me that there are no issues at home as my dad looks after himself. Yes he does but looks for reassurance when it comes to tasks. I asked what we do if his symptoms worsen and his reply was phone the GP and hand in a urine sample as infection can make people confused. As a nurse I’m aware of this and what delirium is. My question was about in the future depending on diagnosis and follow up what do we do.

 

[SeaSwallow]

Hello @Sharonr164 and welcome to the Dementia Support Forum. I am so sorry that the consultant was so dismissive of your family's concerns. A dementia diagnosis is usually made through a combination of a consultation and the results of a scan. In the meantime the diagnosis of MCI does suggest that the consultant is aware that there are some memory issues and hopefully after the scan your dad will have another consultation where things will become clearer.

In the meantime i would suggest that you and your mum keep a record of any concerns that you have regarding changes in your dad's behaviour and memory and discuss them with the doctor if you have any concerns.

Regarding driving, if a person has a diagnosis of dementia they must inform their insurers and the DVLA. The issue is not so clear with MCI, this is a quote from the Alzheimer's Society website.
'MCI can affect a person's driving, but this happens much less often than in dementia. This means that drivers diagnosed with MCI do not always have to tell DVLA/DVA about their condition. If a person with MCI finds their driving is affected by their MCI symptoms, they must tell DVLA/DVA about this.'

Regarding the future there is not a lot you can do pending a final diagnosis. However it would be a good idea to ensure that legal issues such a POA for both finance and health are in place along with updated wills. Doing this now is important in case there is an issue of capacity down the line.

I hope that this has helped a little and please keep in contact if you require any further information.

 

[tonebear]

Hi. My dad currently being assessed by EMHT. He scored 71 on his ACE III. Next step was to see consultant and wait on CT. CT scan will be a few months. Saw consultant yesterday who was quite dismissive. His 10 min consultation resulted in him telling my parents that he may have mild cognitive impairment and not Alzheimer’s or dementia. This may sound great to some folk but I’m unsure how he can make this judgement without a CT scan. He also skimmed through the notes during the appointment and didn’t seem to have read them beforehand. He asked if my dad forgets to switch the oven off. The answer is no because he cannot follow simple instructions to make dinner now. He asked if he forgot the lock the door at night. The answer is always no because he worked in a psychiatric hospital for over 30 years and has always locked the doors when he is in the house , force of habit for him. I feel these questions weren’t appropriate. With regards to driving he has been told to keep driving but if he starts getting mixed up or lost tk tell my mum and me and if he starts hesitating when driving to tell us. My understanding was that a score below 86 warranted further investigations and assessment. The consultant also could tell me that there are no issues at home as my dad looks after himself. Yes he does but looks for reassurance when it comes to tasks. I asked what we do if his symptoms worsen and his reply was phone the GP and hand in a urine sample as infection can make people confused. As a nurse I’m aware of this and what delirium is. My question was about in the future depending on diagnosis and follow up what do we do.

Your consultant Sounds like a really woderful chap NOT My apologies to the profession but what an idiot. Makes me very thankfull we never got to see a consultant. My beloved piglet just gently goes down hill no trauma.