As part of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) National Memory Screening Program, Marywood University will offer free, confidential memory screenings on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. The screenings will be held from 9 a.m.–7 p.m., at the Psychological Services Center in the McGowan Center for Graduate and Professional Studies. The screenings are free and open to the public.
Qualified healthcare professions 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 last approximately 10 minutes.
According to 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.”
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 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 and are gaining in popularity. Last year alone, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) screened more than 250,000 people through its National Memory Screening Program (NMSP). Further, a recent study 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.
Currently, there are more than 5 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 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.