Memory Disorders Workup

When memory or thinking changes

It is normal to occasionally forget a name or misplace keys. It is less normal when memory lapses become persistent, when familiar tasks feel harder, when a family member notices a change you yourself might not see. Distinguishing normal ageing from something that needs attention is itself a clinical question — and it is one of the most important things our service does.

Dr. Melvin Chagas Silva trained and worked at Memory Clinic, Kendray Hospital, UK, where his focus was specifically on mental health and memory disorders in older adults. This specialist experience underpins our Memory Disorders Workup — a careful, dignified assessment designed for the person being assessed and their family alike.

What the workup includes

• Detailed clinical history — from the person and (with their permission) from a family member who knows them well
• Physical and mental status examination
• Cognitive testing — standardised assessments of memory, attention, language, executive function, and visuospatial skills, appropriate to the person’s age and education
• Screening for treatable contributors — mood, sleep, medication side effects, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid function
• Recommendations for imaging or further investigation — where indicated, with referrals coordinated for you
• Differential diagnosis — including normal age-related changes, mild cognitive impairment, depression-related cognitive symptoms, vascular causes, and the various forms of dementia
• Treatment and care plan — including medication where appropriate, cognitive strategies, lifestyle recommendations, and practical guidance for the family

Why early assessment matters

Many people delay seeking a memory assessment, often out of understandable worry about what might be found. But many causes of memory difficulty are treatable — and even when changes reflect a progressive condition, earlier diagnosis brings clear benefits: access to treatments that work best when started early, time to plan, time to organise legal and financial affairs while the person can fully participate, and a clearer path for family members who are often quietly carrying significant stress.

Working with families

Memory disorders affect not just the person but everyone around them. Our assessment includes time for family members — to understand what we’ve found, to ask the questions they need answered, and to be supported in their own role as carers. We coordinate, with your consent, with general practitioners, neurologists, and home-care services as needed.