Yes, I was the one that mentioned a psychiatrist. Mom was diagnosed by a Memory Assessment Research Service that was part of the local university Psychology department. They did the cognative testing that diagnosed her ALZ and also gave us guidance as to what her specific cognative deficiencies were. She has not been to a neurologist (CT Scan and other test were done by her primary physician and the results sent to the MARS center). I think either a neurologist of psychologist that specializes in dementia can accomplish this.
What Mom is seeing a psychologist for now is to try to balance her antidepression and antipsychotic medications. It is not for psychotherapy. I totally agree that talking is not going to fix anything. I even shook my head a the psychiatrist telling my sister that Mom needed to learn to grieve. At this point she is not going to learn anything. But, after the last altercation between Mom and Dad (they tend to fight and get physical and well as verbal) the facility recommended separating them. My sister would not hear of it so they came up with another plan. There is a sitter that comes in three times a week to "socialize" Mom and help her adjust and she is going to the psychiatrist (rather than inpatient hospitalization) to get her medication adjusted to see if we can stop the fighting. They felt a psychologist was better qualified to adjust her medication than the infacility doctors.
So either a neurologist or psychologist, that is specialized, can make the diagnosis. What Mom is seeing a psychiatrist for is very different. Hope this answers the confusion I created
Love, deb
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