Ask Miriam – November 2019
Dear Miriam,
My father is 79 years old and my mother has been concerned for almost a year. He forgets things, gets angry more easily, and fails to pay bills in a timely manner… something she found out after receiving a cut-off notice for the electricity. My mother finally insisted on taking him to the doctor. She said the doctor merely asked a few questions and then said my father seemed to be fine and was “just getting a little older, like all of us!” I know there is something wrong with him. What do we do now?
—Anna
Dear Anna,
Your family has taken a good first step by taking your father to his primary care doctor and finding out what the doctor had to say.
Because doctor visits are brief, there often isn’t enough time for the doctor to notice problems with thinking and memory. You may need to call the doctor back and tell him about the changes that have been apparent to you and your mother. Create a bulleted list of the things you have noticed your father doing differently or forgetting, including any personality changes. The doctor will probably request that your father come in for a follow-up appointment, for a more thorough assessment.
If you feel his doctor is not taking you and your mother’s concerns seriously, it may be time to get a consult with a different physician. If your father is on a managed care plan, you will either need to get a referral from his primary care doctor (or even consider changing primary care doctors). If he is not on a managed care plan, you may be able to make an appointment directly with a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist (both types of physicians specialize in diagnosing brain disorders).
For more information and support throughout this process, as well as referrals to physicians and Diagnostic Centers, please don’t hesitate to call the Alzheimer’s Los Angeles Helpline at 844-435-7259 or chat with us online (chat button in bottom corner).
Good Luck,
Miriam
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