After months of waiting after the referral, I finally received notification for an appointment for Jim’s geriatric assessment. Downside. We’re in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic and it’s a phone consultation instead of an office visit.

All of the reading I’d done, I was expecting a 2-3 hour office visit where they tested things like balance, memory and blood pressure. Instead it was a phone call.

Our landline has been on call forward to my cell for months. Which meant that I had a chance to talk to the doctor before Jim. Which is good because Jim wasn’t happy about having to talk to another doctor and if the phone was in his hands, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t just hang up.

I ran through the first round of questions with the doctor. This is a part of this assessment that involves family and caregivers, I’m both. He asked me questions like: How is his memory? When did you notice a issue? Is he steady on his feet? Has he ever fallen? What did you do to ensure his safety? Does he put things in the wrong spot?

Then he wanted to talk to Jim. He asked Jim several questions about how he felt (depressed, lonely, bored, or useless). Then he asked memory and cognitive questions like remember these three words: ball, penny, table. Great now, spell the word ‘world’, now spell it backwards. Okay, now what were those three words I asked you to remember? What year is it, month, date, day, season?

It’s in the middle of a pandemic, so I’m guessing Jim scores a little lower because his schedule is gone and I’m working from home so the days no longer have meaning. But nevertheless, he had no idea of the month and he guessed late summer even though he was looking at the buds on the trees. (honestly, it surprised me he got that one wrong)

When he was finished is questions, the doctor gave us an immediate diagnosis. I wasn’t expecting it so fast but was happy to have it.

He confirmed my suspicions that Jim had mild to moderate dementia. He thought it was ‘mixed’ dementia. Partly due to Alzheimer’s and partly vascular. Jim will have to go in for a CT scan one the pandemic has eased.
Jim is to stop driving immediately.

He is pissed at no longer being allowed to drive but I am relieved. I didn’t have to be the one to make the decision. We’re only a couple of weeks out from me taking his keys, so that’s a bonus. Jim is still safe behind the wheel as far as skill goes but he’s beginning to hesitate over which turn to take when going to the grocery store which is only a 3-minute drive and one set of traffic lights away.

It’s going to be a rough night. Jim is not taking the diagnosis well so as per usual he’s going to dwell on it until the sun comes up.

Well… he ignored the entire diagnosis except for the ‘can’t drive’ part. Even his dismay over having to have a CT scan was overshadowed by the driving verdict. I guess that’s kind of a blessing. He’s only upset over one thing instead of everything.

See Also: Diagnosis Part 1