There are many elderly people who get diagnosed with dementia. There are also many things you should know about this disease. First of all, there are different kinds of dementia. Second, each type has its own symptoms. It depends on the cause of the disease and where it is affecting the brain. This means that if your elderly loved one is diagnosed with dementia, they should also try to find out what type they are suffering from. Knowing the type can help everyone involved to better understand the symptoms that are happening or that will happen. Keep reading to learn more about how dementia is diagnosed.
Personal History
There are many techniques used to determine a diagnosis for dementia. One of them is the personal history of the patient. This means your elderly loved one will most likely need to have a conversation with the doctor about their personal history. Your elderly loved one might need to talk about past medical issues and changes in memory loss. They may also need to give their doctor other types of personal information.
Medical History
Your elderly loved one will also need to discuss their medical history with their doctor, too. Some of the questions that they might be asked include the following:
Does dementia run in the family?
Do they have any prior illnesses?
Have they had any previous injuries?
Did they have any prior surgeries?
Do they have any chronic conditions?
All of these questions should be answered truthfully. It could help their medical team understand how to treat and handle their specific type of dementia.
Medication History
The doctor will also discuss other things with your elderly loved one. One of the things that might be discussed is their medication history. Some of the things that might be brought up include the following:
Do they have allergies to medications?
Have they had any side effects to medications in the past?
What medications are they currently taking (prescription and over-the-counter)?
As a family caregiver, you might want to make a list of your loved one’s medications. This will make it easier for them to relay information to their doctor. Knowing the medications your elderly loved one is taking will help their doctor know how to proceed with treatment for their dementia. If you aren’t around much, the elder care providers your loved one has might know the current medications.
Conclusion
Your elderly loved one will need to answer a lot of questions in order to help their medical team determine the type of dementia they are suffering from. It is good to prepare them for these questions. You might also want to help them along the way by making lists containing some of the answers to these questions. These lists can help make things easier for your elderly loved one and their doctor.
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