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In This Episode:
Dr. K explains what you can do, if your aging parent has been refusing to see the doctor for their memory or thinking problems. She covers:
- Why older adults are often reluctant to get medically evaluated for memory loss
- 5 tactics that families can use to try to persuade the older person
- How to trigger less fear of the evaluation
- How to frame the evaluation in a positive way for your parent
- If they are still refusing despite your best efforts
Related episode:
008 – Is it important for your aging parent with memory loss to go to the doctor?
Related Resources:
- Related article: What You Can Do if You’re Worried About “Incompetence”
- Related article: Incompetence & Losing Capacity: Answers to 8 FAQs
- Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
- Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
- Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program
Kevin Riley says
My 75 year old mom has no memory issues what so ever. She has been diagnosed with dementia. She has severe anxiety and is depressed about here condition. She went from pacing around the house non stop to now she just wants to be in bed. She fixates on her vision and glasses, talks non stop about needing a new prescription. Also asks me everyday if I know how to pay the bills and what is going to happen when my dad dies. I answer the same questions everyday. My dad is stubborn and is in total control of her medical decisions. I want to find out exactly what kind of dementia she has. I’ve never heard of dementia with no memory issues, is it possible she just has extreme anxiety?
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s anxiety.
Some types of dementia don’t have memory loss as the main symptom (Alzheimer’s usually does, though). Dementia with Lewy bodies for example, can cause hallucinations and falls; and frontotemporal dementia is more likely to create problems with language and personality changes.
Sometimes, though, memory changes and anxiety can go hand in hand. If someone has troubling remembering a conversation about bill paying they might ask the same question repeatedly and get worked up about it. This article discusses dementia and anxiety and how to approach it: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/anxiety-dementia
If you’re wondering about the dementia diagnosis, this article will be helpful: https://betterhealthwhileaging.net/how-to-diagnose-dementia-the-basics/