April 5, 2004
MGH
hosting Memory Screening
Free service hopes to identify patients who suffer from dementia
Your loved
one cannot find their keys anywhere. They see someone at a party
who has been a friend for years and
draw a complete blank on that person’s name. Your loved one
drives to the local store, but cannot remember how to get home.
They ask the same questions repeatedly or get disorientated about
time, people or places.
When these circumstances occur with greater frequency and begin to influence
daily life, you may wonder if this is normal forgetfulness or is it an indication
of something more serious.
Because Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in a
rapidly growing elderly population, the Alzheimer’s Association, the
Upper Michigan Neuroscience
Center at Marquette General Health System, and
the Northern Michigan University Center of Gerontological Studies are partnering
to provide a memory screening at Marquette General this summer.
The free screening is scheduled for Saturday,
Aug. 21, at MGH. The confidential screening will be conducted by appointment
only.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. It involves
the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. AD affects
more than 4 million people in the United States, most over the age of 65. As
the population ages, the incidence of AD rises accordingly.
Bev Bartlett is the Upper Peninsula Regional Director for the Alzheimer's Association-Greater
Michigan Chapter. She stresses the importance of early diagnosis and treatment
of Alzheimer's disease.
“Memory loss that disrupts everyday life is not part of the normal aging
process,” said Bartlett, indicating that more than 8,000 people in the
Upper Peninsula have been diagnosed with memory loss.
“Individuals, or family members, who are concerned about symptoms such
as
short-term memory
loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, decreased judgment, or dramatic changes
in mood or behavior, are invited to call for a memory screening appointment.
Early
diagnosis and treatment is very important.”
At the screening, health professionals will assess mental status. Individuals
concerned about their memory are encouraged to attend with a loved one or caregiver.
Neurologist Dr. Roman Politi, a member of Neurology Associates of Marquette
and on staff at Marquette General, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment
of Alzheimer’s disease. He will present a brief educational talk about
AD and its diagnosis and treatment. He will also discuss lifestyle and caregiver
issues that surround the illness.
Dr. Roman Politi
If the screening results indicate memory loss, the individual
will be referred to their physician for further testing and
consultation.
“It’s important for patients and their families to receive a diagnosis
of Alzheimer’s disease as early as possible so that patients and caregivers
can make plans for their future and so appropriate therapy may begin,” said
Dr. Politi, who serves as the Medical Director of the Memory Diagnostic Center
of Upper Michigan at the Tobin Medical Center in Ishpeming. “Some memory
problems are reversible.”
For more information or to register for the screening program,
call the Alzheimer's Association-Greater Michigan Chapter at 228-3910
or toll-free at 1-800-337-3827.
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