What Specialist Is Best to Diagnose Dementia?
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at
3:47 pm
Jane Marple asked:
My father who’s 70 is forgetful, he can’t count like he use to but he still carries a conversation, drives with no incident, still hunt and fish, makes jokes etc.
He went to the hospital for a routine knee operation and the doctors told our mother he has dementia! (he’s been sleep walking while at the hospital).
Anyway. We want a second opinion, not the diagnosis of a small town doctor treating cuts and bruises all day long.
Thanks,
Tagged with: dementia • Doctors • Town Doctor
Filed under: Alzheimers
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Take him to a psychiatrist; they specialize in dementias. If there is a geriatric psychiatrist in your area, that’s even better. Good luck!
You could get a referral to a specialist, either a psychologist or a psychiatrist. There are some very good meds out today for dementia, but he still should or may have to forfeit his drivers license if he has this. Dementia is very easy to diagnose and it progressively does get worse, but medicine will slow down the process. If this is his only symptom, I would not be overly concerned, but keep an eye on him anyway. Starting this process could send him into a depression and make things much worse. I only say this from my own experience as a home-care provider for the elderly. It would take its toll on him if he lost his license and could not continue doing what he loves to do. Make him a part of this and allow him to choose, until he cannot. He is still quite young to have this. Take care and God Bless