Rapid decline, paying private for quick diagnosis?

[Anonymous_4860]

Hi everyone,

I posted a while ago about my dad having had alzheimers/ Dementia now for well over 10 years. My mum and him have been struggling along in denial and we have tried everything to get them to the drs.
Since New Year my dad has RAPIDLY declined. It started the first week of Jan, he got hallucinations thinking my mum was someone called Michael that was trying to rob the house, then he became physically violent and tried to push her down the stairs and drag her out of the house. Luckily my brothers girlfriend was working from home and managed to calm him down and then after he doesn't remember anything. My mum called the drs straight away following this, I think she finally realised something needs to be done. But since then the 'Michael' situation has happened a couple of times, and once while they were just out in town and he just turned and kept trying to get away from mum thinking she was this Michael, and I had to rush into town and grab him and he was almost in a trance it was so strange, but once we had got him home he was fine and no memory of this.

When they took him to the drs he did some cognitive assessments (writing his name, remembering an address) which he couldn't do, and then they have done blood and urine tests which have shown nothing other than low folic acid. But now he's been referred to the hospital but I'm so worried about how long a diagnosis will take being as the last few weeks he's gotten so bad. I'm also worried for mum in case he gets violent again and nobody is there as my brother has moved out now so nobody works from home.

I was wondering has anyone paid for a private MRI scan to get this process through quicker? Or is it a case of if you go private you have to start the whole process again? Can you do it without a doctors referral?
I have seen on here that a diagnosis can take years and I fear that he hasn't got that long he desperately needs some treatment and to be officially diagnosed. In the meantime does anyone know if we can get any help with this without an official diagnosis? I'm so angry at my parents for burying their heads in the sand and letting it get this bad so I genuinely don't know what to do now. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Sarasa]

I wonder if your mum was entirely honest with the GP when they went for the appointment, and the surgery don’t realise that your dad can have these episodes of delusion. Maybe send them a bullet pointed list of your concerns to see if things can be expedited more quickly. Also make sure your mum has a charged phone and a room with a lock on it. If it happens again and then call the police. It sounds drastic but that should get your dad the help he needs as they can get the mental health team out to see him.
I didn’t live with my mum and a lot of the time she seemed just like a charming but slightly confused old lady. Then something would upset her and trigger a meltdown. After one in the GP’s surgery where she accused them of poisoning her they organised a psychiatrist to visit her at home pretty quickly so if they know the extent of your dad’s problems things can move faster.
We didn’t go down the private route at all, but others that have will hoped be along with their experiences soon.

 

[Anonymous_4860]

Thank you Sarasa, I'm hoping (praying) that it won't get to the point of calling the police. My mum did tell them everything when she went to the drs with him, but a lot of it has happened since then and even now in the day he's confused all of the time. I will make a list and call the drs on Monday to see if that can help push things through quicker

 

[nitram]

he became physically violent and tried to push her down the stairs and drag her out of the house.

You could alert LA adult safeguarding which should prompt some action.