How Can I Find Out if My Mother Has Been Diagnosed with Dementia

[RebeccaD]

My question involves guardianship in the State of: California
I live in Maryland, and i speak to my mother atleast once a week. She seems fine to me. I recieved papers in the mail from my fathers attorney showing that he had filed for guardianship and conservatorship of my mother proposing that she suffers from dementia, and has recently deteriorated physically and mentally and that she was receiving assistantce from him providing for her personal needs. But as a result of the progression of her dementia, he is unable to provide for her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter without substantial assistance. I find this very fishy... I want to know how to find out if she really was diagnosed with demensia. My father has had affairs and drank throughout the marriage and he has been dying to get ahold of my mothers assets. I dont have a good feeling about this. I feel sick about the whole situation. The other siblings dont seem to care, but i do. Help.

[jk]

are your parents divorced?


as to the question about dementia: her doctor cannot legally disclose the information to you unless your mother has signed a HIPAA release which, if she does have dementia, is not possible. Since all you have at this point is a gut feeling and suspicion, there is really very little you can do. If your father does misuse her funds, then you could seek to intervene through the courts.


and I guess you could always hop on a plane and visit your mother to see first hand how she is doing. Sometimes a face to face conversation shows more than a phone call can (and allows you to seek answers to your questions without the interference from others). Sometimes you get the true answer not from what is spoken but from what is communicated through facial expression and gestures.