Preparing for a memory appointment

A woman in her fifties smiling while writing notes at a kitchen table before an appointment

Memory appointments are short, and a great deal depends on what you bring to them.

A doctor seeing someone for fifteen minutes cannot observe a year of gradual change. You can describe it, and that description is often the most useful thing in the room.

A Latina woman in her fifties and her father in his seventies chopping side by side at the same board

What to bring

  • a written list of what you have noticed, with rough dates. When it started, whether it is getting worse, what it stops them doing.
  • Every medication, including things bought over the counter. Bring the boxes if it is easier. Several common medicines affect memory.
  • Relevant medical history. Head injuries, strokes, thyroid problems, diabetes, depression, alcohol use, sleep problems.
  • Any test result you already have. A screening score gives the appointment a concrete starting point.
  • Your questions, written down. You will not remember them otherwise.

What happens

a first appointment is mostly history taking.

Expect questions about what has changed and when, a short cognitive screening test, blood tests to look for treatable causes such as thyroid problems or vitamin B12 deficiency, and possibly a referral for imaging or to a specialist.

You are unlikely to leave with a diagnosis, and that is normal. Working out what is causing memory change takes more than one visit.

A white woman in her fifties comparing two packets at a pharmacy counter
A Black man in his sixties and his wife holding a phone up so both can see the screen

Questions worth asking

  • What could be causing this, and what have we ruled out?
  • Could any of the medications be contributing?
  • What happens next, and when should we come back?
  • What should we watch for in the meantime?
  • Is a referral to a specialist appropriate now, or later?

Write the answers down during the appointment. Nobody remembers them accurately afterwards, least of all on a day like that one.

An Asian woman in her seventies clipping a helmet on beside a bicycle

Going together

if you are going with someone, agree beforehand how you will handle it.

Being talked about in the third person while sitting in the room is one of the most common complaints people with memory problems have. Let them answer first. Add what they have missed afterwards, or ask for a moment with the doctor separately if there is something you cannot say in front of them.

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Where to go next

a measured result is the most useful thing you can walk in with.

The Memory Exam compares performance against what is expected for someone's age and education, and takes ten to fifteen minutes at home. It is a screening test, not a diagnosis. Our warning signs checklist is a good way to organise what you have noticed.