Dear Debbie,

Sue is right that our social workers can help you find a physician.

If you are concerned about signs of possible dementia in a loved one - or in yourself - start with the doctor that already knows this person, often a primary care physician. To ensure that the doctor makes time to address memory concerns, tell the doctor's staff in advance that this is the purpose of the visit. It is a good idea for someone to accompany the person with concerns, so that he or she can make sure issues are addressed, provide additional information and ask appropriate questions. Obviously, the importance of this companion depends on the severity of memory problems.

The doctor may start the assessment with a brief memory screening, and then may want to do a full assessment, which may involve an extended visit, additional visits, lab tests to rule out reversible medical causes for dementia symptoms, referral for brain scans such as MRI, and referrals to specialists such as neurologists or psychiatrists. Finally, the doctor weighs evidence and makes a diagnosis. From there, you may want to consider seeing a specialist who specializes in Alzheimer's disease or another illness that is diagnosed. For Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, these specialists include geriatricians, neurologists, and memory disorder clinics, which employ combinations of specialists. Web resources can also help you locate a nearby memory disorder clinic.