Letter to GP about mother?

I did the letter to the GP about mil.

It did work, eventually. She was diagnosed at home as she refused to go to any medical appointments.

Definitely contact GP . I'm so sorry GP was so dismissive in 2018 that's terrible as there could be several things that could be wrong/ could help from a medical point of view dementia obviously one of them but thyroid issues also. There is support that and treatment ppl can have early in there dementia journey which really helps to prepare for future changes if people are happy to talk about it.

Your mum deserves a full cognitive assessment not just a GP screen, this should include a head scan to help dementia diagnosis. When you contact GP again firmly request a referral to memory clinic ( or dementia diagnosis service) these should operate in all areas ok uk. Most don't offer that much aftercare but do help with dementia meds and sign posting to support ( which can be mixed) but so much easier with a proper dementia diagnosis.

Yes, you can write - when I was a frequent visitor to the Alz. Soc Carers’ forum it was often recommended. Of course they won’t discuss anything about the person with you, but you can make them aware, so when they do come in, checks can be made.

They won't tell you anything about her health , but they will read your concerns.
We've done it

I've done it to a couple of times. You have to make it really clear that you don't want to know anything, you are simply informing them that their patient may need attention and why.

They won't tell you anything about her health , but they will read your concerns.
We've done it.

That's true a Doseette box is great if there's someone there to give the medication or stop them taking everything all at once. Not so good if the person with Dementia has access to it.

Dossette boxes don't always work if there is dementia. Mum forgets what day/time of day it is and still gets in a mess. She now has a pivotell on loan from social services but I have to go round and load it up which is no good if you live miles away and they are on 4 x a day meds which means it needs loading every week.

Do you have a health LPA

If you haven't got a Health POA abc a Finance POA I'd see if she agrees and apply now, before she gets a diagnosis. It will be so much easier for you if you have these in place.

You can apply heree*.

I would definitely contact GP again (any form will be fine)!as she needs to be referred to mental health services for a full dementia assessment. I would also contact any organisations you have in your area such as dementia forward as they are pretty good at speeding up the diagnosis process and have lots of advice!

Do you have a health LPA? If not, they may not be able to deal with you. I had concerns about my own mother and her GP practice refused to speak to me because she hadn’t given me permission so I was unable to voice my concerns. The problem she had that went untreated had a very detrimental effect on her for the rest of her life. It was utterly frustrating and upset me a lot but there was literally nothing I could do. Not all GPs are as awful as my mother’s was but just be prepared in case.

Yes definitely email the GP and tell them that she's not taking medication, is confused and anxious and you think it would be in everyone's interest if they could find out why she is confused and anxious as you want to try and keep them at home. I'd also ask that she be allocated a SW.

I'd also request a Care Needs Assessment for her and make sure you're there when it's carried out. She won't be able to articulate what her needs are and won't remember the daily havoc that her confirm is causing.

Think carefully about what care you're willing to give before the assessment though. Remember if you're offering care, it's 7 days a week without a holiday abc can go on for years.

You might also want to contact the local Carer's Hub for some practical advice on what's available in your area and support.

I'd also apply for Attendance Allowance. She doesn't need a diagnosis as it's based on need. If you phone first the application forms, and the claim is successful, the payments will be backdated to the day you called.

I'd also recommend the books The Twilight Shepherd for practical advice and I haven't read this one but I've seen it recommended a lot and will read it next. It's Contented Dementia.

Wishing you the very best. Sounds like you have a very difficult time ahead

Another one with a v similar situation with a mother at a very similar age. Possibly a fraction less advanced in confusion, but v similar. I wrote to the GP to share my concerns, emphasising confidentiality. It 'worked' in the sense that the GP did a memory test at her next appointment and referred DM to a memory clinic. But that, I'm afraid, is where the positive news ends. Referral took 9 months until an appointment came through. Memory tests done, diagnosis of MCI rather than dementia. Referral to a 'healthy minds' service, which she never heard another word about. No scans, no medication, no GP follow up. Another nine months on, she's got progressively worse, and I strongly suspect would now meet the dementia threshold if retested (to be honest I think she should at least have had further tests last time). I'm probably about to write to the GP again, to lay out my concerns again.

Dosette boxesIf the person you care for has a complicated medicine regime with different pills taken at different times of the day, a pharmacist may decide to provide them in dosette boxes.
These are plastic boxes with small compartments that clearly show which pills need to be taken at what time of day.
Dosette boxes are not always available for free on the NHS and they're not suitable for every type of medicine. Ask your pharmacist for more information about dosette boxes if you think they could be helpful

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/practical-tips-if-you-care-for-someone/medicines-tips-for-carers/

Yes absolutely
Write all your concerns to gp
Ask gp to ask Pharmacy to supplyvtablets in daily dispenser pack roll

Hi Lozza, I could have been reading about my own DM reading your post! The mixing up of medication, confusion over form filling, the conversations repeating constantly, the belligerence etc and yet to anyone outside the family she could be so convincing that all was well with her. Looking back, I realised that she was very afraid of what was happening to her and she hid it for as long as she could.
We contacted the GP who was supportive and she invited her in for a check up…she was already well known at the surgery, calling in or phoning regularly. She had extreme health anxiety. Anyway, the GP tested her and basically diagnosed dementia…she couldn’t answer any of the questions and 10 minutes later couldn’t remember having been to the GP.
I would suggest contacting her GP again or a different one in the practice if there is someone you feel would be more supportive. They will invite your DM in and not tell her that you initiated it. We also contacted Social services for an assessment. Tell them exactly what you have written in your post with your examples. We were able to then get Attendance Allowance, a gardener and later on a carer for personal care when she deteriorated.
Hopefully others will be along soon with more advice as there are so many of us treading or have trodden that path.
Sending you best wishes and remember to have a plan for looking after yourself.