Follow
Share

My dad has had all the neurological test to rule out anything else but his memory continues to decline, short term that is. He shows all the classic symptoms of alzheimers/dementia and it is getting worse each week. What are the advantages of a diagnosis and what are the disadvantages.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
I can't think of one disadvantage of a diagnosis. There are many advantages of knowing what you are dealing with..especially with your dad, "getting worse each week". There are some drug treatments and therapies that can help with some of the symptoms. It can give you time to put things in order emotionally and financially. Many of us have had parents living with us, we quit our jobs, there have been family disputes regarding care, etc. There are many personal stories on here of adult children watching the decline of our parents due to Alzheimer's and dementia. In my case, it is my mother...some days she doesn't know who I am. We moved her in with us after my father died. Her physician filled out her paperwork when applying for VA Aide and Attendance. Having a diagnosis can help with the approval of different benefits, if needed. I quit my job, but I'm also in school, so I felt that the timing was right. You will have to ask yourself many questions. Do you have siblings? Is your mother still alive? Will he live with you? Are you able to put your life on hold while providing his care? Does he have the money to hire someone to come to his home? Will you have to resort to putting him somewhere? I ended up putting my mother in assisted living after 19 months. I couldn't handle the 24/7 care anymore and I'm an only child. It is very hard to watch. Make sure his finances are in order, whether he has money or not. Make sure he has a Power of Attorney, and a will. Even if there is no money, a will can make paperwork much easier in the end. A lot of people don't like to discuss it, but death is the reality of the disease. Preplan his funeral. Having the diagnosis will help you to help him. If you are lucky, your parents were planners. Mine were not. The cleaning of their home was a paperwork nightmare. Good Luck with everything. You will find that you are on a hard road. My mother, who was up walking 6 months ago, is now in a wheel chair all the time, and in diapers. The diagnosis will help you emotionally because you will be able to take care of things little by little. There won't be that initial shock that everything has to be tended to this minute. When my dad died, his final wishes weren't known by anyone. Take time to talk to your dad while you still can, you may be surprised what he tells you that could help you with him. Keep us posted as to how he is doing!!
Helpful Answer (11)
Report

My grandmother has vascular dementia. There are days when she can pass the memory test and days when she can't. The CT and MRI are what helped us. See if your Sasha's gotten long term care insurance. My grandma did and it has helped us tremendously with being able to continue working. I would also say that he needs to stop driving before he gets to a point when he can't. It happens fast and they aren't alWays home when it happens. My grandma was at a store when she forgot which pedal was what and how to turn the car on. Thankfully she asked a passerby and they suggested she call home and get someone to help instead of just telling her and letting her go. Make sure you give your brother a chance to rest. My grandma argues with us about her care because she thinks she is fine now. Every day is a new day to her after all.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report

Make sure its not the drug that your Dad is taking thats causing the problems. We have had patient admitted to our unit in a cloud and after we take them off the drug for a full assessment we find the real person intead of a shadow. Statins seem to be one of the worst drugs. Driving is not safe with any kind of memory loss
Helpful Answer (4)
Report

Brenda gave perfect advice. I would add that you educate yourself on options, READ posts and info on this forum before you make any decisions about dads care or caring for him yourself...there are many considerations including the long term impact on you and your family and the accommodations you will make along the way.
There are many good books and also you tube videos "Teepa Snow" who can help prepare you for cognitve decline. Continue to document your observations on dad, dates, time of day, environment or stresses at the time and provide to physician and/or geriatric psychiatrist experienced with elders. They can do additional tests to help diagnose.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

All great advice, but just to repeat...check the medications. Blood pressure meds, statins, really anything can and does cause dementia, especially as the patient ages. It is good to continue what you are doing, but please, please, make an assesment of the medications he is taking. All too often medical professionals just diagnose "age related dementia" without removing the "life saving medications" to see if tthe meds are causing the problem. There is such a thing as quality of life.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Having a diagnosis early gives you time to arrange your estate plan and to arrange your finances to provide you with the best quality of care and quality of life given your individual financial circumstances. Once a person becomes incapacited, he or she cannot sign a will, power of attorney, health care proxy, living will, etc. The health care proxy and power of attorney in particular are extremely important for your care as they are the documents in effect while you are living. In addition, if you wish to transfer assets to remove them from your Medicaid estate you need to do so 5 years or more from the time you think you might need to apply for benefits. While you power of attorney agent can make these transfers, I find it best for the principal (you) to do so directly -- you can choose to execute a trust to protect the assets or give the assets to a trusted individual whom you know has your best interest at heart. Aside from the Medicaid issue, it is best to do this planning when you have a relatively high level of competency to avoid potential problems with family members who might feel left out of the decision-making or suspicious of the people to whom you have entrusted your estate.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

The diagnosis will be more apparent with time. The thing to do now is just what you are doing, get the paperwork in order. Medical surrogate appointment, DPOA, will, trust, whatever. Find out what it takes to declare mental incapacity in your state and prepare to act on that when the time comes. In my case it was two physicians signing a letter of medical incapacity. You may want to consider tape recording some of your conversations with Dad and the family to document that issues were discussed and decisions reached when he does not remember the events. Look at places where your Dad could live when brother is exhausted and no longer able to look after Dad. Good luck. Long hard road ahead.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Whatever doctor ordered the neurological tests must have given a diagnosis. What was it? Request a copy of the radiologist's report. Short-term memory loss is a gradual event and usually doesn't fail farther each week. Have his doctor check for a low thyroid, B-12 deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency which all can mimic dementia.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Everyone has given you some great advice here. I do have to say that I do not believe that your father should be driving. I think you need to have a talk with his doctor and ask the doctor to tell him and then you need to take his keys and perhaps sell his car. It is too dangerous to allow him to drive especially when you say his memory is minute by minute.

My father was never told, he just began to ask me to drive more and more. Mom wanted to drive up to the day she died but we had sold her car. This is potentially a very dangerous situation for your Dad and the other individuals driving around him.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Where is the first place to start to get a diagonoise.? Family dr or specilist?
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

See All Answers
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter