Thursday, Nov. 08 2012 5:31PM
Memory screenings protect health
By Russ Pulley
rpulley@lsjournal.com
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ReprintYou walked out of the grocery and can’t find your car.
You’re getting older and wonder if you need to worry about Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s important to recognize the difference between a momentary memory glitch and potential signs of dementia, said Jackie Byers, manager of the Valley View Memory Care unit at John Knox Village.
Forgetting a name, the location of a car, or misplacing keys are normal events and you’ll usually remember in a while.
“What becomes a concern is when you’re looking for a car you owned twenty years ago, or you forgot you drove and take the bus home,” Byers said.
Or you don’t recognize the face of someone who is important in your life. Or struggle to complete a familiar action.
“That’s the trigger that you should go to your doctor,” Byers said.
John Knox Village is offering a free, confidential memory screening and information as part of National Memory Screening Day sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
The 10-minute screening is simple. Participants will be asked to repeat and remember three words, then to repeat them again few minutes later. They’ll be asked to name as many animals as they can in 30 seconds. They’ll be asked to spell a word backward.
The results are scored.
It’s not a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s, but if a person gets a low score it is recommended that you go to your primary physician for exam. Memory problems can be caused by a host of medical conditions other than dementia, Byers said, so it is a good idea to discuss any difficulties with your doctor, she said. Screenings are from 2 to 6 p.m. Nov. 13 at the John Knox Village Ambassador Room at 500 N.W. Murray Road, Lee’s Summit.
The screenings will be conducted by qualified healthcare professionals.
Along with the memory screenings, there will be booths with information about the continuum of health care services offered through John Knox Village. Refreshments will be available.
Byers said it is especially for those with a family history or individuals showing warning signs of dementia to take the step of getting a memory screening.
More than 2,000 sites across the country are participating in National Memory Screen Day.
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America says that as America’s population age rises, so does the incidence of the disease. As many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, the foundation reports, and after age 65 the prevalence doubles every five years.
For more information: http://nationalmemoryscree-
ning.org
