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What is the point of seeing a neuropsychologist?
Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: Jan 21 8:56am | Replies (46)Comment receiving replies
My husband’s PCP recommended neuropsych testing when he complained of memory issues. He enjoyed the testing, I read the report online in the patient portal and the conclusion was MCI. I was astonished as it just seemed like memory issues related to aging, but I was in health care and knew MCI invariably leads to dementia, so I started being more observant and making changes for the future (finances, home safety, etc). Eight years later, while in the hospital, the hospitalist recommended repeat testing after discharge. My husband went, enjoyed it again, same examiner, same testing. The data showed a clear and marked decline. I used that info to become more serious about planning- updated wills, advanced directives, putting the car titles in both names, elder law attorney consultation, return to the state of his drivers license in exchange for a state ID card, reaching out to the VA to see what services might be available, etc.
I am very grateful to the neuropsychologist who did the testing, explained the data, and opened my eyes to what was going on and what I needed to do to prepare us for the inevitable future. Before the second testing, I was the proverbial frog in the water, making what I thought were little adjustments here and there and not realizing how much his cognitive status had deteriorated.
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Hello to all,
This conversation is so valuable! I have been the wife who thought we needed more help, more direction, and yearly updates. But you know, the truth has been that the tests show very little. One test 3 years ago stated MCI and marriage counseling. She disregarded all my concerns stating they are not valid. Boy did that put me in a tailspin! I no longer trusted what i was observing in our lives. But today i understand that the tests just can’t see into our lives. My husband’s memory is much worse today (first diagnosis was 15 years ago). I was that frog in the pot because no one else was seeing him like i did for about 6 years. That was very crazy making! Today I'm out of the pot. Im trying hard to not react, just love and care for him.
Oh and no i have no support from friends or family outside of a “how are you doing”? Which is kind, but no concrete assistance is really not needed yet. When that time comes i pray ill be able to have some drop in care occasionally.
Be strong but gentle with yourselves. This disease has no rules .
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What a good experience you had!
We were given that information by his geriatrician who sees him for an hour (really!) every six months, so it seems like the neuropsych exam would have been a more precise evaluation, but in the end, we got to the same place without what was clearly major agitation and distress for my husband.
We are 13 years apart, so many years ago our financial advisor had us get our financial and legal ducks in a row, presuming that he would die before I would. Alzheimer's was not part of the equation at that point, but we're glad the advisor facilitated setting everything up. (The only issue now is that his health care directive says 'no code', but he has recently said he wants full code. Save his life even is he has a terminal disease. No matter what. A kind doctor during a recent hospital stay told me that, in the end, it will likely be up to me [with POA], because he, as a dementia patient, cannot make a fully informed decision. I mentioned this at a caregiver's group I belong to, and other members already knew this.)