How can I convince my mother to get tested for Alzheimer's?
Hello,
I'm wondering if your mom knows that there are many causes of memory loss, not just Alzheimer's. Maybe that's the angle to take. "I notice some things that concern me and I want to get to the bottom of it" rather than "The women in our life have all be taken by this horrible disease. Let's see if you have it too." I'm paraphrasing, of course, but maybe she'll be more open if you talk about things like medication interactions or vascular issues. The other thing to maybe mention is benchmarking - seeing where she is today and reevaulate in 6 months, say. Then everyone will know if it really needs to be dealt with or if it's just normal aging.
I can definitely understand how a stubborn parent in this situation can be so frustrating. Hang in there and I hope something I said helped.
Recommended for you
- How do I go about diagnosing Alzheimer's for my mom?
- What Causes Alzheimer's Disease and Who Gets It
- How do I get Mom to see a doctor when she's in denial that she might have symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
- How can I get my mother to go for another Alzheimer's evaluation?
- See all 660 questions about Alzheimer's and Other Dementias
