Unfortunately, there isn’t just one test that can determine if someone has dementia. In fact, there are many elderly people who have dementia, but they don’t have a concrete diagnosis. Sometimes, doctors have to take their best guess as to whether a patient has dementia and, if so, what type they have. With this being said, it can be helpful for family caregivers and senior care aides to learn more about what is assessed during dementia diagnosis evaluations.
Learning about these things can help you and their senior care aide to be more prepared for your loved one’s appointment.
Short-Term Recall
Senior Care Tamarac FL – Senior Care and Dementia Diagnosis EvaluationOne of the main things that are assessed during a dementia diagnosis evaluation is short-term recall. Your elderly loved one’s doctor will likely have them name 3 objects they just said out loud. For example, your loved one’s doctor might say ball, house, and truck. Then, they will ask your loved one to repeat those words back to them. If your elderly loved one has dementia, they may not be able to repeat all 3 of these words.
Verbal Communication
Another thing that will be assessed during a dementia diagnosis evaluation is verbal communication. Your elderly loved one might be asked many open-ended questions. These questions allow their doctor to determine their ability to understand and use language. People who have dementia often have trouble verbally communicating with their family caregivers, senior care providers, doctors, and other people in their life.
Concentration
Your elderly loved one’s doctor will also assess their concentration levels. For example, your loved one might be asked to perform simple mental exercises. These exercises require them to sustain their focus for a certain time period. If your elderly loved one can’t do basic concentration tasks, they may have dementia.
Information and Orientation
Your elderly loved one may be assessed on their information and orientation abilities, too. Their doctor might ask your loved one to give correct answers to simple questions regarding recent events, dates, and well-known facts. If your elderly loved one has dementia, they may not be able to answer these correctly.
Learning and Retention
Finally, your elderly loved one’s learning and retention will be evaluated. You or a senior care provider may have already noticed that your loved one has trouble with these things. For example, a senior care provider may have noticed your loved one can’t retain information about new events. In the evaluation, the doctor may ask your loved one to restate the 3 words they said earlier in the assessment.
Dementia and Senior Care Concerns
These are some of the pieces of information regarding a dementia diagnosis evaluation. If you or a senior care provider think your elderly loved one has dementia, you can schedule this type of assessment with their doctor.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis
If you or a family member are in need of hiring Senior Care Services in Tamarac FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Coconut Creek, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Margate, Pompano Beach and Tamarac.
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