How does one approach their parent about getting tested for AD? My older brother, younger sister and I feel it needs to be done t w/ our Mother -- along w/ Dad's presence -- but I am the only one living in the immediate area and would like some guidance on how to do this? Our Dad seems to think she has beginning stages and 2 of her sisters have been diagnosed with AD .... any words of encouragement will be greatly appreciated

Kathy, can your dad arrange a general check up for her and tell her the doctor called to schedule it? No need to tell her why, just alert the doctor why you are bringing her.

Hi Kathy,

Wow, what a good question. It seems like Dad is on board to some degree.Who goes to the doc with them? I think I would talk to Dad about having her tested, just to make sure that she is treated early, since this is in the family.

You could offer to go along to help remember everything the doc says. My parents liked this idea as they are intimidated by the docs and can never remember to ask questions. In most cases, you need to get the ball rolling by seeing their regular doc first.

If you go with them, you would be able to have them sign the paperwork so that you are also able to talk to the doc about their conditions.

Do you have the Durable Medical Power of Attorney yet? Any new docs will need this to be able to discuss things with you also. With the HIPAA rules, they are not able to talk to you over the phone unless your parent gives them written permission or you have the DMPOA in place.

You dont say how old the elders are and what their living arrangements are. Do they live in the same town as you or are they hours away?

It sound like the sibs are aware of what is happening and are willing to be supportive. This is a good thing.

My role as caregiver evolved for me. First it was helping with the shopping, Then the bill paying and now living with them. For the last three or four years, I have been taking them to appointments because my Dad couldn't remember how to get there. From that, I ended up going in with them for the exam. Slowly I took on more and more. Doing the meds, making arrangements for a housekeeper, filling in the other sibs being on the other ind of the phone when they needed me.

Somewhere along the lines, someone started calling me their caregiver. When I realized what this roll was and that I had been doing it, I started by having a sit down talk with both parents. I explained what a caregiver was and asked them if they really wanted me to be their caregiver. Once this was agreed upon, I started my research. Getting the necessary legal papers that they had, reviewing them with them and discussing why I thought we should change the DMPOA so I would be able to help them. ( It did help that I had a medical billing background so I used that to point out that I was more aware of what medical terms were than them)

From there, I just started making the appointments and taking them as need be. I did not even discuss having Dad tested because the first eval was done in the hospital. When I received a copy of it 5 months later, I just called his primary doc and made the appointment. After the fact, I filled Mom in. Dad was told but doesnt remember.