Need to see Neurologist

heidijudd

Hey all,

Dad is showing an uptick in hallucinations/paranoia and delusions. He lives on a memory care floor of a healthcare community. He was seen by the Nurse Practitioner with the physchiatry group last week and started a new med, seroquel. I have requested a urine catch to check for UTI. The floor RN suggested I take dad to see a neurologist to look into the advancement of the dementia. If that is the next best step, I will follow that directive but I have a few questions. Is it possible to see/explain the advancement of his disease with imaging? If yes, does that alter the treatment of the behaviors and the management of the disease? Is it good practice to have our loved one followed by a neurologist once given the diagnosis of small vessel disease? How does that enrich the care that is provided? I think I am wanting to weigh the benefits of scheduling the appointment, getting my father there, going through the exam, possibly having another MRI with the outcome of how we use that information to improve the quality of his life, given he is suffering from delusion/paranoia. I would forego the neurology appointment if it ultimately will not provide any info that can help my father ... but I do want to pursue this if it is warranted. Thanks!

M1

I would forego. The neurologist is going to have very little to offer. The addition of Seroquel is very appropriate and I would go with continued psychiatry follow-up and ruling out the UTI, as you are.