Marywood University to Hold Free, Confidential Memory Screenings
SCRANTON, PA (October 24, 2016)-As part of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) National Memory Screening Program, Marywood University in Scranton, Pa., will offer free, confidential memory screenings on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Psychological Services Center in the McGowan Center at the 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 approximately ten minutes to administer.
According to the event organizer, Brooke 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.”
Advanced clinical psychology doctoral students, trained and supervised by Dr. Cannon, will administer the screenings. While screening results do not provide a diagnosis, individuals with below-normal scores, or those who have concerns, will be encouraged to pursue a full medical exam and additional cognitive testing.
Memory screenings are an important part of successful aging. Last year along, the AFA screened more than 250,000 people through its National Memory Screening Program. Further, a recent study[1] suggests that screenings may detect cognitive impairment up to 18 years prior to clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
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. 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.
Screeners emphasize that results are not a diagnosis, and encourage individuals who score below the normal threshold, as well as those who still have concerns, to see their primary care physician for a thorough evaluation.
Currently, there are more than five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to nearly triple by mid-century. Advanced age is the greatest known risk factor for the disease, which results in loss of memory and other intellectual functions, and Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
For additional information about National Memory Screening Day at Marywood University, please call the Psychological Services Center at (570) 348-6269.
About the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA):
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, based in New York, is a non-profit organization that unites more than 2,300 member organizations nationwide with the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families. Its services include a national, toll-free helpline staffed by licensed social workers; educational materials; a free quarterly magazine for caregivers, and professional training. For more information about AFA, call toll-free 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter, or connect with us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlzheimersFoundationofAmerica.