"There needs to be better communication"

My mum was referred for a memory assessment after being admitted to the hospital due to a mini-stroke. We weren't aware that we were being assessed for dementia until we were in the room with the nurse. The nurse was very good with us and communicated frankly, which I appreciated. However, he was the one who had to explain to both my mum and me what the assessment was actually for.

Mum was quite affected by this news, and I believe she would have been more prepared and less out of her comfort zone if we had been informed beforehand. She became quite upset, and when she got home, she was emotionally upset and couldn't prepare or come to terms with this. She thought she was being sent there because of her previous stroke. The nurse had to clarify that the patient often isn't aware of what is happening, and I feel our GP should have communicated this better.

My wife noticed that my mum is becoming more confused and felt concerned, and now things are deteriorating, we would like some more support not only for her but also for our family on how to cope during this challenging time. The terminology used in these assessments is confusing, and there needs to be better communication from the GP and hospital wards so that patients and their families know what they are being tested for. The name of the assessment does not clearly explain its purpose.