As part of National Memory Screening Day, an annual initiative of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), the Clearfield County Centers for Active Living will offer free, confidential memory screenings in November.
Qualified healthcare professionals will administer the memory screenings and provide educational materials about memory concerns, brain health and caregiving. The face-to-face screenings consist of a series of questions and tasks and take five to 10 minutes to administer.
The Centers for Active Living will offer the screenings in partnership with the AFA, Clear Care Nursing Service, and The Women’s Health Center in DuBois. The screenings will be held at the following times and locations: the Clearfield CAL on Nov. 19 from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; the Coalport CAL on Nov. 26 beginning at 2:15 p.m.; Karthaus CAL Nov. 13, beginning at 11 a.m.; and the Kylertown CAL on Nov. 18 beginning at 10:45 a.m. Screening for the Mahaffey CAL is being scheduled, and those interested can call the center at 277-4544.
AFA suggests memory screenings for anyone concerned about memory loss or experiencing warning signs of dementia, whose family and friends have noticed changes in them, who believe they are at risk due to a family history of dementia, or who want to see how their memory is now and for future comparisons.
Screeners emphasize that results are not a diagnosis and encourage individuals who score poorly, as well as those who still have concerns, to pursue a full medical examination.
Such screenings are becoming increasingly important as the number of Baby Boomers turning age 65—the at-risk age group for Alzheimer’s disease—continues to climb. The federal government’s historic “National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease” urges a greater emphasis on both early diagnosis and education about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
However, an AFA survey of 2010 National Memory Screening Day participants found that 92 percent of those polled had never been given a screening by their primary healthcare provider, and 83 percent who were worried about their memory had not discussed their concerns with a healthcare provider.
Although there currently is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, early intervention can improve the quality of an individual’s life. Available medications may help slow progression of symptoms, and diagnosed individuals can more readily participate in long-term care planning.
Warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease include forgetting people’s names and events, asking repetitive questions, loss of verbal or written skills, confusion and personality changes.
There are no reservations needed for the screenings. Information on this and other programs, meals, and activities is available by calling the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging at 814-765-2696 or 1-800-225-8571 or visiting the CCAAA Web site at www.ccaaa.net.
Programs and services of the agency are additionally funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging Inc., Mature Resources Foundation and local and consumer contributions.
