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Momasays Asked February 2018

My mom doesn’t have a formal diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Is one necessary?

She is in assisted living and has very little short term memory. She has sundowners syndrome, mood swings, accuses people of stealing and hiding things from her. Money is tight and medical bills are piling up from a recent hospital stay. I’m not sure if spending the money to have an official diagnosis is warranted right now. Putting an official name to her condition won’t change anything will it? She takes medication for anxiety and for her memory. Other than her mental deterioration, she’s in relatively good health. She makes too much money for Medicaid and my sisters and I already give her money on a monthly basis, and none of us can afford to give more. What would an official diagnosis do for us?

cwillie Feb 2018
I'm going to give you a few links from AgingCare you might find helpful:

www.agingcare.com/articles/early-diagnosis-of-alzheimers-disease-151217.htm

www.agingcare.com/articles/people-with-alzheimers-not-told-their-diagnosis-179411.htm

www.agingcare.com/questions/how-important-is-it-to-get-a-diagnosis-of-alzheimers-174153.htm

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