The person with Alzheimer’s disease has the same illnesses as a non-demented person of the same age; and any physical problem experienced by a person with dementia escalates his/her confusion and negatively impacts functioning. Therefore, ongoing medical care for the person with dementia is essential, and choosing the right physician is a very important decision.

Once you’ve determined the type of doctor you’re seeking for the person with dementia* the next step would be to ask friends, relatives, co-workers, fellow support group members, other physicians that you see such as an ophthalmologist or gynecologist for their recommendations. These are generally reliable and readily available resources.

Some other sources for physician referrals include:

• Some community hospitals have MD referral centers which will help you find a doctor
• Many county, state, and national medical societies have referral or information centers or sites
• Alzheimer’s Association, NYC Chapter 24-hour Helpline
• Web based searches

When you have compiled a list of doctors, the following suggestions will help to narrow down the choices by considering:

• Does the doctor have appreciable experience treating persons with dementia?
• Is the doctor board certified?
• What hospital(s) is the doctor affiliated with?
• Are the doctor and the hospital on your insurance plan?
• Where is the doctor’s office located?
• Who covers the physician when she/he is away?
• What is the wait time for an appointment and how much time is allotted for each visit?
• What are the urgent care arrangements for when the person with dementia is sick or has an emergency?
• How are requests for prescription refills handled?
• Does the doctor take phone calls? Can you e-mail the doctor?
• Does the doctor return calls the same day?

To help you finalize your decision, if you can, carve out time to make a short ‘get acquainted’ visit with the doctor. Go prepared to ask questions such as the ones listed above. (If a ‘get acquainted’ visit isn’t possible, get as much information as you can from your referral source(s), and phone or e-mail the doctor with your questions.)

Pay attention to the doctor’s willingness to answer questions and to offer further explanations to enhance the answers as needed. Gauge how well the doctor listens, and how warm, gentle, concerned, interested she/he is. While there, take note of the office and waiting area environment – is it cheerful, comfortable, clean, quiet, neat and uncluttered? Is the office staff friendly, helpful and polite?

Trust your gut feelings – they’re usually right.

Remember: the quality of the relationship between the doctor, the person with dementia and you strengthens and deepens with time; and knowing that the person you’re caring for is in the hands of a physician that you know and trust helps reduce stress and contributes to your overall wellbeing, as well as, to the wellbeing of the person with dementia.

*See Dr. Judith Ahronheim’s article in the Summer 2006 Newsletter in which Dr. Ahronheim thoughtfully addressed the question: Who should provide care for the person with dementia, a primary care physician or a geriatrician?

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