My husband is 78 yrs old and often times he has demonstrated poor judgement lacking common sense. I suspect he is in beginning stages of dementia, but I would like for him to get screened by a professional. Someone who knows what to look for.
Just try to get him in for a complete physical and let the doctor know in advance what your main concerns are. I've slipped many notes to my mom's doctors over the years, so they're accustomed to it.
CT Scans & MRIs won't show vascular dementia, only Alzheimer's and brain shrinkage, things of that nature. Most PCPs can administer a simple MoCa cognition exam which takes about 15 minutes in the office; a few questions, drawing a simple clock face showing a certain time (to test executive brain function) and some memory questions. It's scored on a scale of 30 and gives a baseline of where your DH is at right now. He can be retested yearly (or whatever) to see if he's declined.
Suggesting anything more than a simple MoCa test with his regular doctor can instigate resistance and fear. Heck, the MoCa test itself can spur on a bad reaction, but at least it's quick, simple and doesn't require a special visit or the involvement of a large machine.
The first time my mother was tested she got an 18 on the MoCa exam indicating that she had dementia, but that it wasn't too far advanced. In 2019 after a stroke and a bout with pneumonia, she scored a 10, indicating she'd declined quite a bit and we were able to see it ourselves with her behavior, lack of short term memory, confusion and agitation in general. She did have a brain MRI as well for uncontrolled vertigo back in 2017 which showed no unusual brain shrinkage or Alzheimer's, at least at that time. I'm not willing to send her for ANY further testing at this point; she will be 94 in January and lives in a Memory Care ALF, so there's really no point.
If there IS any recognition by him that things are slipping a bit, he is going to be very resistant. I am 78 and partner is 80. I would do it this way. Hon, I am getting forgetful. It's getting a bit scary for me. I notice that you are as well: for instance these times (tell him two or three). I know it's likely just we aren't 29 anymore. But I wonder if we could both go and get evaluated. We would know if we are baseline for our age group and get some things to watch for." Might not work. Probably won't. But if anything does, that might; and hey, you would both have that baseline. You would use that for the new year to get paperwork and anything else done. Just age recognition. Just knowing anything can happen. You know, at our aqe even anesthesia can send us pretty quickly into a dementia that may or may not leave. We are what we are. (Old Codgers?). It's best to address it head on. And keep active; keep moving. It helps prevent all kinds of problems; the other day I heard it is a preventative thing for macular degeneration. Who knew? Not THIS old nurse.
Make an appt. with his neurologist. He/she can get the ball rolling, by ordering a MRI or CAT scan of the brain, and also send him to a Memory Clinic for the appropriate testing. Best wishes.
I love that idea, but it sure wouldn't be THAT easy for my partner, 80. He's going to need a lot of finessing to get to any appointment with any doctor at all, and especially with a neurologist. You gave me a giggle. I just saw myself walking up tonight and saying "How about you see a neurologist, N.?" Hee hee.
Suggesting anything more than a simple MoCa test with his regular doctor can instigate resistance and fear. Heck, the MoCa test itself can spur on a bad reaction, but at least it's quick, simple and doesn't require a special visit or the involvement of a large machine.
The first time my mother was tested she got an 18 on the MoCa exam indicating that she had dementia, but that it wasn't too far advanced. In 2019 after a stroke and a bout with pneumonia, she scored a 10, indicating she'd declined quite a bit and we were able to see it ourselves with her behavior, lack of short term memory, confusion and agitation in general. She did have a brain MRI as well for uncontrolled vertigo back in 2017 which showed no unusual brain shrinkage or Alzheimer's, at least at that time. I'm not willing to send her for ANY further testing at this point; she will be 94 in January and lives in a Memory Care ALF, so there's really no point.
Good luck!
I am 78 and partner is 80. I would do it this way. Hon, I am getting forgetful. It's getting a bit scary for me. I notice that you are as well: for instance these times (tell him two or three). I know it's likely just we aren't 29 anymore. But I wonder if we could both go and get evaluated. We would know if we are baseline for our age group and get some things to watch for."
Might not work. Probably won't. But if anything does, that might; and hey, you would both have that baseline. You would use that for the new year to get paperwork and anything else done. Just age recognition. Just knowing anything can happen. You know, at our aqe even anesthesia can send us pretty quickly into a dementia that may or may not leave. We are what we are. (Old Codgers?). It's best to address it head on. And keep active; keep moving. It helps prevent all kinds of problems; the other day I heard it is a preventative thing for macular degeneration. Who knew? Not THIS old nurse.