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My mom is almost 90. She lives alone in her home, with home assistance aides two or three days a week. After a fall, UTI, and hospitalization, an assisted-living trial was an epic fail. Her dementia is worsening. She is angry, paranoid, despises everyone, and loathes her primary care doctor who is - to be fair - pretty useless. We have begged her for a formal evaluation of some kind of Mom's cognitive status, but she's very blasé about it, won't return calls, etc. We three adult kids (fortunately, all on the same page and mutually supportive) desperately need some kind of proper assessment of Mom's mental state. The neurologist who saw her after her fall has a wait list of over 6 months. I'm trolling Mom's insurance provider list, and Mom is uncooperative and totally resistant. But if I can get an appointment made with SOMEONE who can assess her, her aides will help get her there (we kids all live well over 1000 miles away - and there are reasons for that!). Can anyone recommend someone with geriatric psych / dementia expertise / certification? Mom is on Valium and that's it. It’s way past time for some serious evaluation. Thank you!

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I live in Tucson and the only thing I can say is good luck. Our medical industry is a wreck. 6 months to see your doctor, doctors that don't have the brains to blow up a sugar ant and nasty office help. We are so short staffed that entire floors at hospitals are shut down.

You will just have to Google and call to find out if they practice geriatric psychiatry and pray the nasty winch you get on the phone tells the truth.

Have you considered a board and care home versus an AL? I would recommend checking into those, better staff to resident ratio and loads cheaper. Plus they are numerous throughout the valley. Unless of course, your mom will enjoy the activities at a larger facility or with the money you save you can hire an aide to do enrichment activities with her a couple times a week. You really do have lots of choices because we are a retirement area.

Best of luck, this is a hard time and I pray you find her the care she needs and doesn't want.
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Reply to Isthisrealyreal
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Can the aides help get her set up on telemedicine? IN general there are not too many geriatric psychiatrists to go around. Telemedicine/ video visit, depending on if its allowed in your state, sometimes makes it easier
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Reply to strugglinson
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I’ve lived in phx area 20 years but not there currently. I would go to Mayo and get referrals in Mayo system. Excellent care. I know Tucson is a couple hours away. Luckily you have U of A there. Must be geriatric psychiatry at large academic institution. We took my 92 year old dad to one and it was helpful. The telemedicine suggestion is a good one. Especially for follow up. That’s what we did. Good luck.
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Reply to Beethoven13
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