Benefits of Getting a Dementia Diagnosis
Have you or your loved one been living with memory loss for some time? Have you been concerned about whether you or your loved one has dementia? A diagnosis may help address these concerns and reduce any anxiety you may have regarding these symptoms your loved one is experiencing.
ABCDs of Dementia Progression
All types of dementia are progressive. This means that while symptoms may at first be mild, they deteriorate with time. As dementia progresses, a person with this condition will need increasingly more help and support with daily living. Dementia affects every individual differently. This includes their experience of the symptoms, the rate at which the condition progresses (which itself varies across the different types of dementia), and the type and level of support required.
Where to Get a Diagnosis?
Diagnosis can be conducted at several places including the hospitals listed below and certified general practitioners’ clinics.
You may obtain a professional diagnosis by approaching the places below:
General Practitioners
You can approach local General practitioners (GPs) who are certified to support and provide mental health assessments and diagnosis.
A recommended list of certified GPs can be found at Pg. 83 to 86 in ‘A Resource Kit for Caregivers’ by AIC.
Starting a Conversation About Diagnosis
If you suspect your loved one is displaying the signs and symptoms of dementia, you should encourage him or her to get properly diagnosed and treated. However, starting a conversation with someone on this sensitive issue may not be easy. This article will first provide a short guide to how to start a conversation with a person living with dementia about getting a diagnosis, and then detail some guiding points about how to navigate these conversations.
Who Can Diagnose Dementia?
Screening persons for dementia and a diagnosis of dementia are two different things.
Screening for dementia with tools like the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) cannot be used to diagnose a person with dementia. They are instead used to spot some obvious symptoms of dementia in persons being screened, after which persons who have been identified with dementia symptoms may be encouraged to consult a doctor for further testing.