Memory clinic - what to expect?

[Dayperson]

Apologies if this has been asked already, but what can we expect from the memory clinic. Mum has been referred by the new gp, we know she has dementia but was not referred to the local one in France, so we've moved back to the UK.

I had epilepsy as a child and went through surgery for it. Part of that process was a stay at the hospital in Chalfont in Buckinghamshire​ where I had a fMRI, memory tests (recall a passage details, recall a list, shown people from photos then asked which ones I had seen before, verbal reasoning and logic puzzles etc), meetings with psychologists and psychiatrists etc.

Is this what happens in the dementia memory clinic? Would mum have a MRI scan as well?

 

[sue38]

It does vary around the country, but it's likely mum will be referred for blood tests if not done already (to rule out other issues), MRI scan and memory/cognitive tests.

This factsheet https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/download/downloads/id/1814/factsheet_assessment_and_diagnosis.pdf may help.

 

[marionq]

With her diagnosis you can then apply for Attendance Allowance and reduced council tax, the Companion bus pass I mentioned on another thread, ask for a needs assessment from SS, referral to the Continence clinic, put her name down on local day centres. In other words get the ball rolling as early as possible to help you keep her at home.

 

[Delphie]

With my mum it went like this: GP, blood test, memory clinic, referral for a scan.

The scan never happened because my mum refused to go. I had to lie at every stage running up to that point and took the approach that it was best to make the appointments for her and then wing it on the day, but cancelling scans wasn't really on so when she refused once I didn't press it. The consultant still diagnosed Alzheimer's.

The actual memory clinic appointment was quite long. I sat slightly behind mum so that when the consultant asked her a question I could indicate whether the answer was right or not. For many of them the consultant didn't need me anyway, because the questions were the bog standard ones such as what date is it, what season, who's the prime minister etc. It was all quite light and chatty and the consultant was great, but there was a pen and paper 'test' part (draw a clock face showing a particular time and so on) and I think that was what my mum 'remembered', not actually but on an emotional level. She kind of knew that she'd been tested and resented it, possibly also knowing on some level that she hadn't done all that well. So she behaved fine while with the consultant (hostess mode!) but any more cooperation from her after that was unlikely for quite some time.

There was little point in pursuing things further, I felt. She's been offered medication but refused. She refused carers. She refused anything that suggested she might be unwell or not coping. Having the scan would have given us nothing of any real, practical value, and she probably would have found the whole thing quite frightening.

 

[Dayperson]

Thanks for your replies and the link. Mum has had an assessment in France a year ago where they gave a diagnosis of advanced dementia after a brief 1h assessment where they tried to do the memory test in English but mum played up that day.

I guess they are used to that and people trying to say they can't do things when they can (mum didn't work much of her life and has no qualifications and uses it as an excuse).

We got mum registered with the new doctor on Monday, had the blood test and now waiting for the referral to the memory clinic.

 

[gavboy7]

pot luck

We did have a great doctor but he was taken ill and ended up with a doctor who didnt ven ask my mum anything, just talked for 20 minutes saying my mum was depressed. The fact that she cant remember what happened 1 minute ago means nothing , my mum now doesnt was and hardly cleans her clothes, i have to live with her but find totally let down by memory clinic they just wanted her out and sent back to GP. My mum wont go out and spends her whole day watching bbc1 and thats it cant remember when shes eaten or if crers have come and will not go out the house it is very frustrating. My dad is in a care home and in a very bad way with demntia very violent and they striggle to look after him. my advice get power of attorney nd just hassle gp's and nhs and u will get somewhere but my mum is a lost cause very diffcult.

 

[Tin]

For us, it was gp for blood tests and a bit of a chat, then referral to memory clinic - 2 month wait for appointment, an hour spent talking and testing my mum and medication discussed mainly anti depressants at that stage. Then a month wait for brain scan appointment and then 2 month wait for second appointment at memory clinic to discuss any findings from scan.. Gp did have these results a lot sooner, but refused to discuss with us saying we should really wait for memory clinic appointment.

 

[Dayperson]

It really does sound like a lottery in terms of treatment. I hope we get somewhere because mum is at the advanced end from what I have read. She has depression (I put it down to being isolated in rural France but she still has it now).

If it is anything like my Chalfont centre, they have processes and hate things done out of order. I had the memory tests years ago, then for the surgery ones I did worse so I had to go back and redo them (I couldn't sleep the night before). It took a while to find out what was going on re the results and whether surgery was possible.

We do seem to have a good medical services here, we are in a rural location and between the gp and shropdoc I have managed to get mum seen and treated despite being at home on my own with her. Fortunately dad arrives back tomorrow with more clothes and a car.

 

[Dayperson]

Went to the doctor this morning about mums rash not clearing, mum was asked a question and was out of it and her reply was strange so the doctor spoke to the memory clinic who came to visit us today. We had a chat about mums memory, she tried to do the test bit again was in a world of her own. The doctor has asked for a CAT scan but I was told by the memory clinic this would not form the diagnosis.

We went and had another blood test today, B12 and kidney function. I was told her thiroid was ok.

I was told there are several medicine she could have when diagnosed, even for advanced memory loss.

 

[Kevinl]

I was told there are several medicine she could have when diagnosed, even for advanced memory loss.

There are things like Donepezil which may slow the process down but there's nothing that will make her any better as such. Things like the depression should be treatable with or without a specific diagnosis of what type of AZ she has.
It may be you never get a specific diagnosis, I know I'm not the only one on here who's partner has a diagnosis of "mixed, atypical AZ" which tells you nothing.
K