Dementia Clinic

Dementia is not a single disease. It’s an overall term to describe a collection of symptoms that one may experience if they are living with a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Diseases grouped under the general term “dementia” are caused by abnormal brain changes. Dementia symptoms trigger a decline in thinking skills, also known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent function. They also affect behaviour, feelings and relationships.

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs because of microscopic bleeding and blood vessel blockage in the brain, is the second most common cause of dementia. Those who experience the brain changes of multiple types of dementia simultaneously have mixed dementia. There are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of cognitive impairment but that aren’t dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.

What are the symptoms of dementia?

Each person experiences dementia in their own individual way. Different types of dementia also tend to affect people differently, especially in the early stages.

However, there are some common early signs and symptoms of dementia. These include:

• memory loss – for example, problems recalling things that happened recently
• difficulty concentrating, planning or organising – for example, struggling to make decisions, solve problems or follow a series of steps (such as cooking a meal)
• problems with language and communication – for example, difficulties following a conversation or finding the right word for something
• misunderstanding what is being seen – for example, problems judging distances (such as on stairs) or perceiving the edges of objects, and misinterpreting patterns or reflections
• being confused about time or place – for example, losing track of the time or date, or becoming confused about where they are
• mood changes or difficulty controlling emotions – for example, becoming unusually anxious, irritable, sad or frightened, losing interest in things and personality changes.

With some types of dementia, the person may have difficulty knowing what is real and what isn’t. They may see or hear things that are not really there (hallucinations), or strongly believe things that are not true (delusions).

Dr Graeme Young

Dr Young is an Old Age Psychiatrist providing private assessment of cognition and assessment / diagnosis of dementia.

A new patient appointment is one hour long. This assessment includes a comprehensive history from the patient and (often separately, with consent) an informant (family or carer), alongside mental state and cognitive examinations with validated assessment tools.

Dr Young will accept referrals from General Practitioners following the completion of standard cognitive screening bloods for patients over the age of 65. It is useful if the results of screening bloods, alongside any recent structural brain imaging reports, are shared at the point of referral. In the majority of cases, a copy of the original referral to NHS services is sufficient.

If there is no recent or relevant brain imaging, Dr Young would recommend this is completed, a referral can be made for this and follow up can be arranged upon receipt of the results.

He is experienced in the assessment of memory and interpretation of investigation findings, and will discuss individualised treatment plans, including pharmacological approaches (in keeping with NICE Guidelines) and referral to local dementia navigator services, with patients and family.

An initial 60 minute appointment is £400, a 30 minute review appointment is £225.

Please send referrals by email to:  info@holywoodprivateclinic.com