Sojourner
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2012
- Messages
- 2,610
My DF is 84 and has been showing signs of mental decline and steadily worsening memory loss for about the past 4-5 years. Just recently, it's seemed to accelerate a bit, to the point where he is now having trouble remembering very familiar things, like streets and other landmarks around the neighborhood where he's lived for over 50 years.
My siblings and I would like for him to see a doctor to get evaluated, find out what the prognosis is, and see what (if any) treatments might be available to slow the deterioration. I feel like if we go ahead and make the appointment for him to see someone, he will (reluctantly) agree. We should have done this several years ago, I know, but DF has always been very "anti-doctor" and we didn't want to upset him by pushing him too hard when the symptoms were much milder. Bad decision, undoubtedly, but the past is the past.
Some questions:
1) What type of specialist would be best for him to see at this point? Neurologist? Geriatrician? Neuropsychologist?
2) Based on your experiences with dementia, what would be some other helpful/good things for my siblings and I to start doing or thinking about at this stage?
My siblings and I would like for him to see a doctor to get evaluated, find out what the prognosis is, and see what (if any) treatments might be available to slow the deterioration. I feel like if we go ahead and make the appointment for him to see someone, he will (reluctantly) agree. We should have done this several years ago, I know, but DF has always been very "anti-doctor" and we didn't want to upset him by pushing him too hard when the symptoms were much milder. Bad decision, undoubtedly, but the past is the past.
Some questions:
1) What type of specialist would be best for him to see at this point? Neurologist? Geriatrician? Neuropsychologist?
2) Based on your experiences with dementia, what would be some other helpful/good things for my siblings and I to start doing or thinking about at this stage?