Marywood University Will Hold Free, Confidential Memory Screenings
SCRANTON, PA—As part of National Memory Screening Day—an annual initiative of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)—Marywood University in Scranton, Pa., will offer free, confidential memory screenings on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Psychological Services Center in the McGowan Center at Marywood University.
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 ten minutes to administer.
According to the event organizer, Brook Cannon, Ph.D., professor of psychology and clinical neuropsychologist, “Annual memory screenings, like regular physical exams, allow for identification of potential cognitive problems and monitoring of already existing impairment.”
Trained and supervised by Dr. Cannon, advanced clinical psychology doctoral students, will administer the screenings. While screening results do not provide a diagnosis, individuals with below-normal scores, or who have concerns, are encouraged to pursue a full medical exam and additional cognitive testing.
AFA suggests memory screenings for anyone concerned about memory loss or experiencing warning signs of dementia; for those whose family and friends have noticed changes in them; for people who believe they are at risk due to a family history of dementia; or for individuals who simply want to see how their memory is now, as a baseline for future comparisons.
For more information about National Memory Screening Day at Marywood University, please call the Psychological Services Center at (570) 348-6269.