Alzheimer's Reading Room: Mammograms for Women With Dementia? What is the Right Decision?

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Mammograms for Women With Dementia? What is the Right Decision?

This is my comment to this article.

I don't know that there is one right answer. Each case is unique and looked at from a personal perspective. So many angles such as where along the disease spectrum the patient falls, the families ability to let go, the patient's resources, society's resources, and maybe most importantly what would be done with the information found.

With my mother the decision would be easy. No mammogram. The process would be disruptive, painful, and upsetting to her. If the outcome was cancer I would not put her through surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The risk to her mental status would be too great and any more of that lost would defeat the purpose of treating the disease process. Prolonging her life just for the sake of keeping her alive holds no appeal to me nor would it to her. Past conversations with her prior to her dementia leave me at ease with this decision. She would rather die quicker of a more acute illness than linger in the Alzheimer process for who knows how many more years.

I am determined to make these years with me the best I can but will not provide measures to prolong her life. Quality over quantity is our choice.