10 Questions to Ask Doctor After a Dementia & Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

People might suffer from a variety of cognitive declines. Dementia is a universal term for memory and mental ability decline. Although Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for the majority of dementia occurrences, several other dementias can also influence cognition. For example, frontotemporal dementia affects behavior before memory, but primary progressive aphasia impacts speech and language.

In fact, even though the indications of different dementias sometimes overlap, a doctor may still not know a loved one’s particular dementia diagnosis. Initially, making an accurate diagnosis could be difficult or even impossible.

Even though most dementias are chronic and incurable, there are a few medical diseases that may be treated but mimic dementia. For example, most of the same manifestations can be caused by severe depression. Therefore, don’t always assume that personality changes or memory loss indicate dementia or that the disease is incurable. Instead, as soon as possible, get medical assistance.

It’s critical to know what your loved one may expect in the time to come if you’ve received an accurate diagnosis. Is this dementia classified into stages? What stage does a loved one’s doctor feel dementia has progressed to? What brought them to these conclusions? Unfortunately, there seems to be no way to foresee how dementia will progress.

You need to know what to expect to figure out your next moves, for example, such as if you are able to provide the amount of assistance they need at home or if you want to explore other possibilties such as long term care, assisted living or memory care. Understanding how serious the dementia is, can help you prepare ahead and anticipate future needs. can help you prepare ahead and anticipate future needs.

You should also ask the diagnosing physician if you need to visit a geriatric specialist for further evaluation or care.

Your family’s physician can identify several difficulties that typically arise in people living with dementia. For example, the person living with dementia may experience distress or anxiety and depression, especially in the evening, in addition to disorientation. Moreover, your loved one may lose control of body processes and become susceptible to urinary tract infections on a physical level.

Patients with advanced Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty eating or swallowing, and alteration in in-depth perception might make them more prone to falls.

Medication can help with memory issues and alertness momentarily, but it won’t stop the condition from progressing. If the dementia is mild or moderate, medications such as donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Reminyl) may be used, as well as memantine (Namenda) if the dementia is moderate to severe.

Medication to treat heart issues can help individuals with vascular dementia slow the  progression of their cognitive impairment. Inquire about any potential side effects and any negative responses to any medications, herbal treatments, or vitamins your love one is now using.

About half of dementia patients are unaware of their disease. They are unaware of their cognitive abilities because of how dementia affects the different parts of their brain. When family members try to impose the truth of the situation on the individual with Alzheimer’s or dementia, it can lead to arguments.

Some individuals spend time attempting to tell  the person living with dementia that they have a loss of memory rather than just moving on and developing non-confrontational approaches to interacting with the individual, which will lead to more cordial relationships.

It is critical for family members to understand that Alzheimer’s or dementia individuals are unable to gain new knowledge and skills.

Even though there’s no cure for most types of dementia, several supportive treatment options may help. The need for nutritional and emotional assistance cannot be overstated. In addition, counseling or psychotherapy can help someone cope with dementia while also reducing despair and anxiety.

Exercise may also help decrease the onset of poor thinking, and occupational therapy can help with addressing quality of life as their disease progresses.

There is a lot that caregivers are expected to do for loved ones with dementia that it would take a different essay to cover. However, it’s critical to inquire early on about what you will need as the caretaker when your loved one’s dementia advances.

Check with your doctor about local options that might help you as a caregiver. While you’ll be focused on providing for your loved one, don’t forget to look after yourself and don’t take things personally.

People might become confrontational or experience behavioral changes when they are having a difficult day, confused, or terrified. It’s necessary to keep in mind that it’s the brain changes that are happening not the person. Seeking support from a support group of all other caregivers may be quite beneficial when coping with this element of caring for a person living with dementia.

If your loved one’s been prescribed medication, the potential adverse effects were most likely explained when it was originally administered. However, once the individual has been taking the drug for a while, you would have had ample opportunity to monitor their actions and reactions to the treatment.

It’s a good idea to ask this question on a regular basis to either check that the behaviors are expected side effects or to notify the doctor of anything that might or shouldn’t be a side effect.

You should also determine whether it is still secure for your loved one to live alone at home. If that’s the case, contact your doctor regarding a possible order for Occupational Therapy to further assess the home environment to see about how you may make your house more senior-friendly. Unfortunately, because dementia is progressive and degenerative, those  living with dementia will ultimately require full-time care as dementia progresses into the later stages.

This point might not come up right away, but it’s worth asking after trying other meds. A clinical study may be worth exploring if your loved one has severe or unpleasant side effects from their drug or if you aren’t getting the expected outcomes. Then, based on your loved one’s condition and overall health, the doctor may be able to provide some recommendations.