It can take supportiveness, tact, and creativity to encourage someone to have a clinician check out worrisome symptoms. Such evaluations tend to produce anxiety, and few people cavalierly agree to
* Try calling the doctor in advance of a routine check-up to express concerns and ask about a memory screening. Or use another health complaint (fatigue, arthritis) as a pretext for making a physician appointment.
* Keep it positive. Don't focus on the person's deficits, but rather on retained skills and strengths and what can be gained by early treatment.
* Make it your issue rather than hers. Explain that you would rest easier knowing that the person has the most up-to-date information about how to retain her memory, function and quality of life. You want to her to live independently as long as possible.
* Acknowledge fear. "It's not pleasant to think about and I am a little worried, too. But if we can find out what's behind the mix-ups, then the problem can be treated."
* More ideas: https://www.caring.com/blogs/caring-currents/10-ideas-for-getting-a-reluctant-person-checked-for-alzheimers
one, especially if they have suspicions that something's wrong but have not shared this with family members.