Why attend a memory clinic? What do patients and their families want and/or expect?

M Mastwyk; B Dow; KA Ellis; D Ames

Journal article

Why attend a memory clinic? What do patients and their families want and/or expect?

M Mastwyk, B Dow, KA Ellis, D Ames

Australasian Journal on Ageing | Published : 2016

DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12257

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore which symptoms led people to seek a memory clinic assessment and what they wanted and expected from that assessment. Did the patient and family want and/or expect diagnostic disclosure and, if so, why?METHODS: Patients scheduled for memory clinic appoint-ments received two questionnaires by post prior to clinic attendance - one for the patient, one for the next-of- kin - regarding symptomatology, wants, expectations and rationale.RESULTS: Ninety-two per cent of patients (n = 47) and 88% (n = 43) of next-of-kin wanted the patient to be informed of the diagnosis; 84% (n = 43) of patients and 86% (n = 42) of next-of-kin expected the patient to be informed. Rationales for d..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Kathryn Ellis Author

David Ames Author

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

Thanks to the patients and their next-of-kin who completed and returned the questionnaires and to the coordinators of the MRDC and CDAMS clinics who facilitated postage of the questionnaires. Support for this study was provided by the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St. George's Hospital, through the provision of stationery, consumables and payment of HREC fees.