The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

Memory Screening

Distinctive Care participated in the national memory screening day again this year on the 17th and had the opportunity to screen and evaluate many people.  While a large majority of the people we saw were older adults this was the first year that I saw several people who were in the fifties participate.  Intrestingly enough one of these people presented with significant memory loss, indicative of dementia.  As most of our readers know the first thing I advise people who score in this category is to see their physician to rule out reversible causes of dementia, which can range from something as simple as dehydration or a vitamin deficiency to something more complex as undiagnosed dementia.  So, while it may be very scary to hear, this person is armed with important information to bring to her primary care physician to start a dialogue and begin the process of determining whether she may have a reversible cause of dementia.  Personally, I have my own theory about her results. Because she is a caregiver dealing with the challenges of caring for her father who has Alzheimer’s Disease,  she is under a great deal of stress. Based on a series of questions I asked her, I do think that she is suffering from depression and it is my hope that with treatment her cognitive impairment will resolve.

The staff of Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management evaluated many people that day, discovering impairment in a great deal of them.  The good news about this is that these folks will be following up with their physicians to obtain an accurate diagnosis.  What’s very important is that for those who are ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, will have access to the medications available that may slow the progression of the disease and will be able to develop and implement a plan for their future.

Early diagnosis is so very important and although it is often difficult to encourage your loved-one to participate in a memory screening because of the denial and fear they are experiencing as they too notice the changes in themselves I encourage you to work with them to convince them to agree to a screening.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management includes a cognitive exam in all of our initial assessments, but we also offer this exam as a seperate service.  If you are only interested in this service, please do not hesitate to contact in our main office, in Ridgewood, New Jersey.  We can do the assessment in your loved ones home environment and serve northern New Jersey and Rockland County, New York.  Please contact us at 201-857-5283.