Waiting times for Memory Clinic Appt?

StephW

Registered User
Sep 22, 2020
30
0
Hello I'm new here and very grateful to find this group to talk to :)

My Mum is waiting for an appointment at a Memory Clinic for a diagnosis. This follows on from an appt with her GP in June.
It is clear she has some form of dementia, which has become worse during lockdown.

As a family we are finding it quite frustrating not knowing when we will hear anything and in particular I am concerned for my Dad who is 92 and her primary carer. I visit 3 times a week and ring every day but of course it never feels enough.

The GP has made it clear that she can't do anything and we just have to wait. My question is, does anyone know how long these things normally take? I appreciate of course that Covid has thrown a spanner in the works, and that there may well be a backlog but we really have no idea when we may hear. Any thoughts or advice gladly received xx
 

My Mum's Daughter

Registered User
Feb 8, 2020
438
0
First visit to the doctor was September last year, scan done by Christmas, memory clinic was January and diagnosis in February.
Hope you get an appointment soon.
 

StephW

Registered User
Sep 22, 2020
30
0
Thank you so much for your quickly reply, I now have a steer as to timescale. Yes I hope the appointment comes soon too xx
 

Northeast

New member
Aug 7, 2020
1
0
Killingworth
Hi we are also waiting (since February appointment cancelled) and unlikely to have a face to face outpatient appointment for a few months was offered a telephone consultation but didn't think mil would benefit from this contact so unfortunately in the meantime very difficult to note further deterioration.
 

StephW

Registered User
Sep 22, 2020
30
0
Hi we are also waiting (since February appointment cancelled) and unlikely to have a face to face outpatient appointment for a few months was offered a telephone consultation but didn't think mil would benefit from this contact so unfortunately in the meantime very difficult to note further deterioration.
I'm sorry that you're in the same boat. Its awful not knowing isn't it. The GP did say we may be offered a phone consultation but like you, we don't think it will be helpful especially as my Mum is reluctant to use the phone anyway. Fingers crossed we will hear something soon xx
 

Sarasa

Volunteer Host
Apr 13, 2018
7,145
0
Nottinghamshire
Although a diagnosis is useful you can ask for a social services assessment to see what your mum needs without one. Getting a diagnosis is useful, specially in the early stages when you might not be quite sure if there is a problem or not, but it’s not the be all and end all, just a stage on the way . Having said that I hope you get an appointment soon. My mother totally refused to engage with the memory clinic as she insisted she was fine, so you may need to be creative about what the appointment is for.
 

StephW

Registered User
Sep 22, 2020
30
0
Although a diagnosis is useful you can ask for a social services assessment to see what your mum needs without one. Getting a diagnosis is useful, specially in the early stages when you might not be quite sure if there is a problem or not, but it’s not the be all and end all, just a stage on the way . Having said that I hope you get an appointment soon. My mother totally refused to engage with the memory clinic as she insisted she was fine, so you may need to be creative about what the appointment is for.
Oh I didn't know that, thank you. Our issue at the moment is that although my Mum has had a brief test with the GP who agrees that yes there are dementia signs e.g. short term forgetfulness, what she doesn't or can't help us with is any helpful medication to address the more difficult symptoms e.g. My Mum thinks its Christmas within the next few days, no matter the time of year, she often gets upset and asks to go home when she's already at home, she insists on trying to ring her Mum who passed away more than 25 years ago, and she has recently started wandering. I assume that my Mum needs a memory clinic visit before a decision can be made as to what type of dementia she has and whether any medication might be helpful.