Memory? What memory was that then?

dzug1

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

The problem with that is I can't remember which one I've associated with which thing i.e. I can remember the passwords I'm likely to have used but how do you remember which one you used for that particular account/website?

Passwords I don't have much trouble with. Anything I use regularly sticks in my mind.

It's user names on sites I don't use very often that are the problem - is it my e-mail address, if so which one - is it my name and in what format - or is it a total alias as here. Luckily MSE remembers it.

Margaret_Skinner

dzug1 wrote: »

Luckily MSE remembers it.

Yeah until you go on the site from a different computer ......... then you're screwed! :rotfl:

wodgerdodger

Just a brief update on the initial assesment by the relatively newly set up "memory clinic" for want of a better description. the unit has been running around 18 months locally here and is designed to attempt to diagnose potential problems at an early stage. Obviously Alzheimers springs to mind but there are in fact many different causes of memory loss some psychological due to stress depression etc and others which could be physiologicol such as strokes, abnormal medical conditions.

Please bear with me I'm just trying to succinctly explain what the assesor described I am not a medic or anything such.

The assesment takes two initial stages.
1. Eliminate any physiological causes by way of blood screening to ensure there are no chemical imbalances and a CT scan to check there are no brain abnormalities.
2. An in depth assesment of the "patient" checking their current state by way of a range of mental excercises, medical history family medica history and recent events which may cause anxiety or stress which could lead to confusion or memory loss.
Separately, my wife was interviewed for her input and any problems she may have noticed with behaviour or difficulties in dressing , washing etc.
Once all these assesments are collated each case is reviewd by the "team" to discuss possible causes of the problem and what actions or courses of treatment would be most appropriate.

Fortunately or mysteriously my own occasional failings did not come to light in the various excercises which were passed with flying colours so they will wait now till the blood tests are back and the CTScan which is still to be arranged. It could be a few months as timeslots are not easy to come by for the scan at the local hospital.

All in all it was a very in depth and professional set up and the assessors were very informative. She did say their normal clients referred by GPs are normally in excess of 61 but every case is different and if it was a concern to me then there was no harm in going through this process as it would eliminate the physiological causes....may even help if there was a screw loose!

Hope this update has been informative and provided an insight to what is available on NHS.

Margaret_Skinner

Sounds very comprehensive and I like the view they take that if it bothers you it's worth getting an assessment done - sometimes these worries niggle away and make the problem worse if you don't feel you can do something about it! Good to know these services exist.

dzug1

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Yeah until you go on the site from a different computer ......... then you're screwed! :rotfl:

Too true:)

lilac_lady

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Sounds very comprehensive and I like the view they take that if it bothers you it's worth getting an assessment done - sometimes these worries niggle away and make the problem worse if you don't feel you can do something about it! Good to know these services exist.

I'd only want to know if my memory is failing if science could offer me a cure. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to take an assessment if there was nothing that could be done to reverse the memory loss.

NAR

But it would give you an opportunity of putting a POA in place, finalising a will, sorting finances etc.

wodgerdodger

lilac_lady wrote: »

I'd only want to know if my memory is failing if science could offer me a cure. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to take an assessment if there was nothing that could be done to reverse the memory loss.

I can understand where you are coming from ;however, as one of the assesors mentioned, early diagnosis of a medical condition is easier to treat if deteced in its infancy rather than wait until the deterioration is so significant and then it may be too late to apply any corrective treatment.

Errata

wodgerdodger wrote: »

I can understand where you are coming from ;however, as one of the assesors mentioned, early diagnosis of a medical condition is easier to treat if deteced in its infancy rather than wait until the deterioration is so significant and then it may be too late to apply any corrective treatment.

That's an important point. For instance, a CT scan will show any evidence of multi infarct dementia (small strokes in the brain) and if present steps can be taken to address cause and any treatment.

downshifter

It sounds an excellent idea and very thorough. If my father had had access to this sort of clinic, his early experiences of Alzheimer's would have been easier to understand, for him as well as my mother. As it was, he struggled for a long time, wondering why it was taking him so long to write an ordinary business letter, or to title some photographs, or just to understand the newspaper - he always said he could read the words but they frequently didn't have any meaning, it was as if his eyes saw them and transferred them to his brain, but his brain couldn't translate them into anything that made sense, a bit like reading a foreign language he didn't know.. If he'd had some sort of early warning, he would have understood and while it wouldn't have helped the path of the illness - probably not anyway - the understanding would have helped him cope better instead of the intense frustration he and my mother felt then. She's always regretted often having a go at him when he forgot something - if they had only had access to this sort of help. Oh well.

In my case I'm just turning into a right old fogey!! Not only hoovering the office but questioning my manager's use of English. (That's on another thread!) God they must think I'm ancient, I wonder why they've taken me on (and even given me a pay rise!!!)?

Thanks to everyone who has been involved in this discussion, it's really interesting!

Grumpy Old Downshifter!!!