Advice needed

My father was always cold due to heart disease. I think he needs a check up.

I took my Mum to her GP, she had mentioned some hip niggles, the GP was quick on the uptake, did a mini memory test, mum was referred.

humptydumpty

SandraF could you email your husband's surgery voicing your concerns?

I wrote a letter to my mums doctor when we were concerned, I kept it very brief with bullet points detailing specific incidents. I thought a letter might be better than an email, not sure why but it worked. The surgery called her in for a blood test and did a memory test at the same time.

Sorry- put that in the wrong place!

Elderly parent alarm
My mum is 85 and lives alone 3 hours away from us. She doesn’t want to move closer or admit strangers into her home. She is very independent and there is no reason why she should move but we are both concerned in case she has a fall. She has an iPhone and WiFi and a landline. There is a side door with a key safe but she doesn’t want to give the code to anyone but me as she is very keen to NOT be taken to hospital or to be resuscitated and doesn’t trust anyone else to follow her wishes.
Does anyone know of an app or red button thingy that would just alert family and not an agency or the emergency services?

He may not want to go to his GP, but I would, just in the first instance. He/ she won’t be able to discuss him with you...but can listen to your concerns. It shouldn’t matter that you go to different surgeries.

I remember my dad doing this with my mum. He was worried, so talked to the GP on his own. It turned out it was the medication my mum was taking, and the GP was able to quickly reassure my dad.

Does he take blood pressure tablets? These can make you feel cold...particularly feet. Whatever the cause...I think the GP is the first best bet.

Some of the symptoms you describe, particularly feeling cold could be related to an under active thyroid.

Ring the surgery in the afternoon and explain your concerns. You should get a call back and be able to speak more fully. They probably won't talk to you about him but they should listen.

And, if all else fails, contact Dementia UK, The Alzheimer's Society or AgeUk for advice.

SandraF could you email your husband's surgery voicing your concerns?

Unfortunately we go to different practices so I couldn't ask for a well being check for both of us. His practice is one of those where you can only ring each day at 8am for an appointment that day (along with all the other people on redial). Even if I got through I'm not sure how to broach it with the triage/reception ist especially as he doesn't seem to have insight into his problems.

That sounds like a good solution BlueBelle hope it will work for you SandraF.
It is a very difficult situation to live with.

The trouble with a doctors assessment is when the doctor sees the patient on a good day.
I support a neighbour who is obviously in the early stages of this awful disease. Her daughter got her to surgery but unfortunately this was one of her good days.
He wasn’t there a few days later when I got a call from her telling me that her gardener ( she hasn’t got one) had stolen her bank statements.

When my friend thought her husband may have dementia she spoke to the doctor first and asked if they could both go for a well being check bearing in mind her concerns they did and the doctor saw for himself and referred him on
He’s does have Alzheimer’s and is now on medication

Yes I would say get his thyroid checked, that could be a good excuse for seeing a Dr as well

Has he put on weight? Might be worth checking for a thyroid problem.

Depending on how good your GP is you could contact the surgery expressing your concerns and ask them to call him in for a routine health assessment.

If you think it will be difficult to get him to see the GP, maybe suggesting that he see the GP about being cold will get around the problem. It may sound less threatening to him and, if you go with him (no reason why you shouldn't, my mum always went with my dad) you can raise the other problems.

Your best bet is to get the gp to see him metioingyiur concerns.