The aim of this section is to describe the problem, preferably from the perspective of both the patient and the family. Past and present illnesses are reviewed and an attempt is made to rule out causes of the difficulties other than a cognitive illness. Conditions that can cause memory difficulties include, for example, deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals, certain hormone disorders, low mood/depression, side effects of certain medicines, etc.
The basic dementia assessment is carried out at a healthcare centre or via Minnesmottagningen.se if you wish to carry out the first parts of the assessment digitally from home in direct contact with specialized healthcare professionals. The assessment consists of several parts that are all important to get a good picture of the problems.
A first digital meeting with a nurse is booked directly via Minnesmottagningen.se. During the meeting, you will go through the circumstances of the problem, how the problem looks and manifests itself. You will go through the practicalities of the assessment and the steps involved. The assessment steps are carried out in an application that can be run on a smartphone or tablet and the steps are carried out in peace and quiet at home. The app is called Minnesmottagningen and can be downloaded even before the meeting. The assessment steps in the app are only activated after the nurse has gone through the content of the assessment. In order for us to have a good basis for the assessment, it is important to be careful when filling in the information. The more information available, the better the assessment will be. Before the meeting ends, you also book an appointment for a meeting with a doctor.
After the meeting, the investigation elements are activated in the app. The investigation is based on three main parts, they are:
These are carried out when it suits you best. We would like you to be alert and able to concentrate without distracting noise or other factors. Make sure you have access to any visual and hearing aids. You are welcome to have a relative help you with the technical part if necessary, but not with the actual test. Otherwise, there is a risk that the test results will not reflect your abilities correctly. The cognitive test takes 20-30 minutes and needs to be done in one session without interruption.
The meeting with the doctor takes place digitally, just like the first introductory meeting with the nurse. There, you will go through the description of you and your symptoms, how you have answered the information about yourself and what your result on the cognitive test looks like.
You will make sure that your doctor understands your background and the nature and consequences of your symptoms. Based on the background information, the descriptions of your symptoms and the test results, your doctor will decide what the next steps are to help you feel better, such as further investigation for a suspected cognitive disorder or other recommendations for further investigation.
If necessary, we will send a referral for further investigation. This includes the extensive documentation that you have submitted and that your doctor has interpreted. All to ensure that your investigation is of good quality and proceeds without unnecessary waiting time.
Please note that a final diagnosis of any cognitive disease (e.g. Alzheimer's disease) can only be made after additional investigations that cannot be done digitally, such as X-rays and blood tests.
