What happens at a memory clinic?

[BashStreetKid]

My mother's GP has offered to refer her. She's 90, had a mildish stroke a few years ago which left her with some speech problems, inability to write, difficulty reading and no understanding of numbers. She's been getting increasingly forgetful - I have the same conversations with her over and over again, sometimes within a very short period, she doesn't necessarily recognise people, she's started saying things like she can't remember where a particular desk is when it's in her bedroom. Time is a particular problem due to the numbers issue; at this time of year you can't visit her after 4 p.m. because the likelihood is that she will have gone to bed. She does get distressed about being confused about things, and gets quite worked up, saying regularly that she wishes she could die.

If the memory clinic would help her, I'd be happy to get her there. The problem is that she is incredibly resistant to doing anything different; she keeps complaining that she is bored, but whatever I suggest to alleviate that, she just won't do it. She won't even contemplate watching a new TV series, for instance, even when it's clearly right up her street. Additionally, if she knew that it was a clinic for people with memory problems I suspect she could well get extremely offended.

So does anyone have experience of memory clinics, and do they help?

They will give her a diagnosis, possibly medication and signpost on to any additional services she needs.

There will be some cognitive testing, the person you have the appointment with will ask some questions about medical history etc and their views on how they are managing.

They may be asked as part of the cognitive testing to do some puzzles and answer some questions. This may be things like drawing quarter past three on a blank clock face, spell the word apple backwards, what year is it, who is the prime minister etc.

Following that they may then be referred for brain scans to see if there is any physical signs of deterioration to the brain.

After that they may then return to the memory clinic where they may be given a prescription to slow down any further deterioration.

That's unlikely to happen all on the same day though, it might be over the course of a couple of appointments.

They may help, you'll certainly get a much better diagnosis of what's going on, appropriate medicines that could help and information about other services.
The one I took my Mum to was much like a Doctors surgery or smaller private/cottage style hospital. Nice staff, nothing scary.

They usually also do some routine blood tests to make sure there's no physical cause like a vitamin deficiency, before proceeding to other tests. Medication if appropriate, is aimed at slowing the decline rather than trying to get an improvement but they don't suit everyone.

Thanks so much, everyone. But, oh dear, she'd absolutely hate that. She wouldn't be able to deal with things like the clock face, current year or spelling because of the stroke damage, and I think she'd get really distressed and/or angry at being asked to try. But if there's medication that would help, that in turn would probably make her less confused and therefore less distressed.

I guess I need a conversation with her GP about whether there are other ways of assessing her.

From my recollection medication is only prescribed for certain types of dementia. When my mom was diagnosed they initially thought from brain scan that she had vascular dementia (which is most common after strokes,) and said that they wouldn't be able to prescribe medication to assist her, however after re-reading mom's file they decided it was most likely she had mixed dementia, given that mom had never had either stroke or any heart condition, and she was prescribed medication. I really can't say whether this has helped or not as I don't know how she would have been had she not taken it.

They also offer different therapy and help groups depending on how advanced the dementia is, and can also do referrals to occupational therapy and social services.

My mom was in complete denial that she had a problem at the time I took her to the GP for memory assessment referral, even though I think she'd been in the early stages of dementia a couple of years by then. We are just starting process for my dad.

My 93 year old uncle was assessed at a memory clinic last year. He was adamant there was nothing wrong with him, but the family had all noticed his poor short term memory (and had concerns about his safety whilst driving) and he was referred by the GP because we expressed our concerns (I have POA). Brain MRI scans and blood tests also performed for the clinic assessment. My aunt very much enables him and tries to cover for him as she was scared they would have to make adjustments to their lifestyle (giving up driving etc). The assessing clinic nurse was very astute and stopped my aunt answering the questions her husband was unable to answer. They ask general history questions, draw the time on a clock face etc. It was a sad realisation how poor his memory had become. He has age related general dementia (he's on aricept - but not noticed any deceleration of decline). On the plus side he's very happy in himself, and has a very healthy appetite but needs watching round the clock by my aunt.
Whilst chatting to other carers at the memory clinic other patients are unable to be prescribed specific drugs for their dementia as it differs from my uncles type.