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Getting assessed

I think I’ve got dementia – how do I check?

You have a feeling you might have dementia, but you’re not sure. Here’s what to do.

If you have problems remembering things and sometimes struggle with daily activities you used to find simple, you might be wondering if you have dementia.

There are many different reasons for memory problems – and dementia doesn’t only present as issues with remembering things (see below) – but it’s important to find out if the issues that are worrying you are caused by dementia, or not.

It’s common for people to feel so worried about dementia that they don’t get checked out. A study by the Alzheimer's Society showed that over half of people asked lived with symptoms for a year before seeking help, mainly due to fear. However, delaying finding out whether you have dementia or not causes more stress and prevents you from getting vital support.

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If you’re worried about the symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s best to check for dementia sooner rather than later so you can:

  • Rule out any other causes for the issues you’re experiencing, such as diabetes or a vitamin deficiency, that need to be addressed. Sometimes depression and anxiety can lead to memory loss, too, so it’s important to be assessed. You can find out more about other possible causes of dementia-like symptoms here

  • Get the support you need, regardless of what’s causing your worrying symptoms

  • Let people know if an assessment leads to a diagnosis.

  • Find out through further testing what type of dementia you have, if you have it

  • Make life easier by making adjustments to your home and life

  • Plan for the future. Read more about that here

  • Potentially start treatment that might help. You can read more about that here and on the Age UK website

Not just memory – other symptoms of dementia

People assume that memory issues mean dementia, but there are other physical and mental causes of memory problems and other symptoms of dementia, too. These include:

  • Difficulty with thought processes

  • Problems concentrating

  • Following or understanding a conversation and struggling for words

  • Personality and mood changes

  • Issues with motivation

  • Losing the ability to do everyday tasks

If you do have dementia, you might experience other signs and symptoms, too, depending on the type you have. You can read more here.

5 steps to getting a dementia diagnosis

If you’re worried about dementia, you may be at a loss as to what to do next. So, here we explain how you go about being assessed:

  • Tell a loved one It’s a lot easier to face your fears when you have support and are not worrying about symptoms alone. Speak to someone you trust about getting an assessment for dementia – share your worries. You can ask them to attend appointments with you for support, too.

  • Jot down a list of your symptoms. Write down what issues you’re experiencing. Include dates of when they started and whether anyone else in your family has experienced similar issues. Ask a loved one to help you with this and include:

    Your symptoms, i.e. the problems you’re having

    When your issues started – dates/times

    How your symptoms affect your everyday life

  • Make a GP appointment Speak to your GP about the issues you’re worried about. Take your list of symptoms and ask someone to go with you, if at all possible. Also take a list of any pre-existing medical issues you’ve been diagnosed with plus a record of any medication you’re on. Tell the receptionist why you need an appointment so they can allocate you the right amount of time.

  • Go for a GP assessment On your first visit your GP may do some brief tests. For example, he or she will ask you some questions and may ask you to name some common objects in a picture, or to complete a drawing. You might be given a concentration test, too and your doctor may do a physical examination.

  • Seek further testing Your GP might send you for blood and/or urine tests to rule out other reasons for the issues you’re experiencing.

    If your GP has reason to believe you might have dementia, he might refer you on for further tests with a specialist at either a hospital, clinic or GP surgery (depending on where you live).

    This could be with a:

    -   psychiatrist who’s a dementia expert

    -   doctor who’s an expert in the brain and nervous system

    -   elderly care specialist doctor*

    If your GP doesn’t refer you on for further tests, you can request it by asking for a second opinion. You can also speak to a dementia specialist nurse for advice by calling Dementia UK on 0800 8886678.
    You can find also find out more information here

  • Attend a specialist appointment If you’re referred on for further specialist tests, it’s best to ask someone to go with you. These kind of assessment tests can take time and typically involve:

    *Mental ability tests – looking at shapes, solving problems, using your memory
    *Scans – doctors might order a scan to look for changes in your brain. There are several types of diagnostic brain scan (including MRI,CT and PET) and it’s common to have to wait to receive another appointment to have one
    *Blood tests

    After these tests the specialist should explain the findings and discuss what happens next.

You can read more about the type of tests that take place here and you can also read more about getting a diagnosis here

*Note: Dementia doesn’t only affect the elderly. For more information about young onset dementia go to Dementia UK here or check out the list of rare dementias (and their symptoms) at Rare Dementia Support here