Getting a diagnosis for someone you care about
Although the thought of getting a formal diagnosis for dementia might seem daunting, there are a few reasons why getting a diagnosis as early as possible can be the best thing for both you and the person you care for. Here are some reasons why getting a diagnosis can be helpful:
- The person you care for and those around you can access support and treatment as early as possible. This support can enable the person with dementia to live independently, and well for as long as possible. Often just a few small adjustments can make a big improvement to quality of life.
- During diagnosis and once a diagnosis has been received, you will be able to access support specifically for people caring for someone with dementia. This can include help with planning for the future or accessing financial support.
- For a lot of families and even for the person with dementia, a diagnosis can feel like a relief of some sorts - finally there is an explanation for why the person you know has been acting differently. A diagnosis can feel like a step forward to understanding a person’s condition and how best to support them.
- Depending on the type of dementia, medication can potentially be given. Although this can’t cure the condition, it can help to manage and lessen symptoms.
How to get a diagnosis
It can be hard knowing how to go about getting a diagnosis for someone you care for. You might be worried about how the person you care for may respond to talking about it. The following pointers can give you and them an idea of how the process works.
In the first instance visit the GP to discuss any concerns you or the person you are caring for may have. The GP will carry out an initial assessment and will also try to rule out any health issues that may be causing the symptoms you are concerned about. If symptoms are very clear the GP may give a diagnosis at this point.
- If the symptoms are not clear, the GP may refer the individual for further investigation. This could be at a specialist memory clinic for an assessment.
- During an assessment, the health care professional complete activities to test the cognitive abilities of the person as well as testing attention, memory, and language. Professionals will ask questions about everyday tasks at home or at work, as well as questions about driving and planning.
At the assessment the health care professional may request a brain scan which can be used to support a diagnosis.
It can help for the person with symptoms of dementia to be accompanied to appointments and assessments. These experiences can feel complicated to someone with symptoms of dementia. Being with someone else can be a comfort and can help the person to understand what is going on at the time. Carers accompanying the person with dementia can also take notes to help remember information shared.
Once a diagnosis has been given, both you as a carer and the person you care for can access support from specialist teams, for example an occupational therapist, a social worker or Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN).