New to forum, help please with diagnosis !

[Lori66]

Hello, Thank you for accepting me to the forum and I could do with some advice about my 85 year old mum please.
I took her to the memory assessment clinic a year ago and she was assessed as 'a close differential between MCI and early dementia possibly Alzheimer's mixed' It was all really unpleasant as she argued with everything I said.
She has got steadily worse and I'm really struggling to cope with her short term memory loss and lack of reasoning. I've been told that we have to start the process from scratch because it's a year ago now since she went. Does anyone have any experience of this diagnosis and of having to start the whole process again? I would add that she is refusing to go again because they said she was fine last time.
Thank you for any advice.

 

[Sarasa]

Welcome to Dementia Support Forum @Lori66. I had exactly the same problem with my mother. I. The end, after she’d had a meltdown in the doctor’s surgery a psychiatrist came to see her at home, and diagnosed vascular dementia.
Though a diagnosis will open doors it may be worth trying to ensure other things in place such as Lasting Power of Attorney first.
I’m on my phone at present, so can’t easily post links, but I’m sure others will be along with their ideas shortly.

 

[Tricot]

I took her to the memory assessment clinic a year ago and she was assessed as 'a close differential between MCI and early dementia possibly Alzheimer's mixed'

Are you sure you need to start again from scratch? Having made such an initial assessment I'm amazed the memory clinic didn't give you an automatic call back to see how things are. Is it they who've told you that you need to start again from scratch?

 

[Palerider]

Hello, Thank you for accepting me to the forum and I could do with some advice about my 85 year old mum please.
I took her to the memory assessment clinic a year ago and she was assessed as 'a close differential between MCI and early dementia possibly Alzheimer's mixed' It was all really unpleasant as she argued with everything I said.
She has got steadily worse and I'm really struggling to cope with her short term memory loss and lack of reasoning. I've been told that we have to start the process from scratch because it's a year ago now since she went. Does anyone have any experience of this diagnosis and of having to start the whole process again? I would add that she is refusing to go again because they said she was fine last time.
Thank you for any advice.

I'm surprised that you have to start over again. Obviously I don't know what tests were undertaken but if there were any CT or MRI scans then they should still be valid plus any previous memory tests should serve as a baseline for reassessment -I guess it depends where the memory clinic got up to last time. Worth having another chat with them and finding out what it is they need to do given your mum is not wanting to undergo any further investigation.

 

[Pacucho]

Hello,
I see you have received good advice.
Another issue that will help is an excellent guide I learnt on this forum called "Compassionate Communication with the Memory Impaired". Had I known about this when I was caring for my late mum it would definitely have helpeed me better communicate with her.
The guide provides an excellent overview of how to approach conversations.
Hope you find this helpful,
Paco