On the day of your evaluation you can expect the following:
- A psychiatric clinical nurse specialist will conduct an evaluation and recommend non-medicinal behavioral approaches to manage behavior.
- A neuropsychologist will administer tests to evaluate cognitive function that will help in making a diagnosis and creating an appropriate treatment plan.
- The psychiatric clinical nurse specialist and the neuropsychologist will also interview the patient’s family/caregivers.
- A neurologist will evaluate the patient to determine whether any additional testing is needed to identify potentially treatable causes of the patient’s symptoms and whether the patient has any other conditions that would affect his or her memory and behavior.
- A geriatric psychiatrist will evaluate the patient to determine the need for medications or other treatments that will help to address behaviors that are associated with the dementia.
By the end of the visit, the team will provide the patient and family with a preliminary report that includes a probable diagnosis, a plan for further testing (if needed), and a plan for initial treatment and follow-up. A final written report will be sent to the patient and family and to the referring physician.
Through the entire process, the care coordinator assists patients and families with the evaluation and helps them to access community resources.
IMPORTANT:
The evaluation process at the Center for Memory & Behavioral Disorders requires that both the patient and a family member be present for the entire half-day evaluation.