She starts with her MD. If she recognizes this is happening that's a good thing as she can get her POA papers and etc done before any diagnosis, and now while she understands the importance of said documents and is able to do them.
Her MD will, if he finds this to be a need, refer to a good neuro-psyc. Meanwhile there are tests the two of you can access online and do "for fun" taking the results to her MD. Like "spell Forum backwards".
Do know that anxiety and depression can mimic quite perfectly the early symptoms of dementia. Those who think they have cognitive failure are oft times those least likely to have them other than normal aging changes. Dementia often comes with a whole lot of baggage of denial.
If you are able to convince her to go see a doctor, you'll probably need to start with her primary to rule out other reasons for her cognitive issue, like UTI, vitamin deficiency, dehydration, thyroid, over- or under-medication of any prescription (or OTC) drugs, diabetes, etc. If all those possibilities are ruled out then a neurologist may be the next stop.
With both my mom and my husband (in different geographic areas) I found that there was a major teaching hospital with a specialty center that did cognitive workups on older adults.
Both had teams consisting of a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and someone with expertise in psychiatry.
Imaging (to rule out things like normal pressure Hydrocephalus) were required.
If she recognizes this is happening that's a good thing as she can get her POA papers and etc done before any diagnosis, and now while she understands the importance of said documents and is able to do them.
Her MD will, if he finds this to be a need, refer to a good neuro-psyc. Meanwhile there are tests the two of you can access online and do "for fun" taking the results to her MD. Like "spell Forum backwards".
Do know that anxiety and depression can mimic quite perfectly the early symptoms of dementia. Those who think they have cognitive failure are oft times those least likely to have them other than normal aging changes. Dementia often comes with a whole lot of baggage of denial.
If you are able to convince her to go see a doctor, you'll probably need to start with her primary to rule out other reasons for her cognitive issue, like UTI, vitamin deficiency, dehydration, thyroid, over- or under-medication of any prescription (or OTC) drugs, diabetes, etc. If all those possibilities are ruled out then a neurologist may be the next stop.
With both my mom and my husband (in different geographic areas) I found that there was a major teaching hospital with a specialty center that did cognitive workups on older adults.
Both had teams consisting of a neurologist, a neuropsychologist and someone with expertise in psychiatry.
Imaging (to rule out things like normal pressure Hydrocephalus) were required.