Page 28 - Senior Housing Directory 2022 South Central Michigan

Dementia Screening & Care Solutions
A continually growing long-term care In some cases, however, a positive dementia takes only three minutes or so to complete. It
need is dementia. The person living
with dementia may continue living at home safely with supports or may need to transi- tion to a facility that provides specialized care.
Dementia is not a specific disease but rather is a general term that describes a group of symp- toms that may accompany certain diseases or conditions. Dementia indicates a loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with activities of daily living. It is caused by physical changes in the brain that may result from a variety of different causes.
Sometimes the symptoms of dementia are reversible, especially when they are caused by conditions resulting from depression, vitamin defi- ciencies, thyroid problems, medications, infection, loss of oxygen to the brain, traumatic brain injury, and more.
If you recognize moments when your loved one’s memory seems challenged, an evaluation is the best first option. The sooner you can identify the cause of the symptoms, the sooner they may be able to start feeling better. Or instead, identify ways to slow down the progression.
Your physician can help to identify if cognitive concerns are the result of a treatable condition.
diagnosis may be the result. A major benefit
of an early dementia diagnosis is that starting treatment early is far more effective in manag- ing symptoms and delaying progression of the disease. Your loved one may not willingly take the necessary actions until there a diagnosis. Learning more about various screening options may help to make it a little less scary. Dr. Andrew Rosenzweig presents the following summary.
Several brief and reliable tests are available to screen for Alzheimer's disease or other demen- tias. Screening tests can be done in the office, the waiting room, or even at home before your appointment. They are tools appropriate for iden- tifying potential cognitive problems. They are NOT a substitute for a full diagnostic evaluation. They all have some differences and unique character- istics. For more details visit www.verywellhealth. com/alzheimers-tests-98647.
The AD8 Informant Interview is an
8-item questionnaire. It is considered an infor- mant-based assessment because instead of the patient being questioned, the patient's informant (usually a spouse, child, or non-family caregiver) is asked to assess whether there have been changes in the past few years in certain areas of cognition and functioning. These include memory, orientation, executive function, and interest in activities. The AD8 has a yes or no format and
compares conditions over time and is meant to be repeated. A sample can be found at http:// catch-on.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/AD-8.
The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE) is designed to be used at home and then brought to a physician for review after completion. It evaluates several different areas including memory, orientation, executive functioning, language and naming abilities, and visual-spatial abilities. It’s free and you can get it on the Ohio State University website or by visiting https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/brain-spine-neu- ro/memory-disorders/sage. There’s no time limit, but most people finish in about 15 minutes.
The Mini-Cog is a rapid Alzheimer's screen- ing test that takes only 3-5 minutes to administer. It combines 3-item recall with the clock-drawing test and can help to determine the need for additional testing for dementia.
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is widely used and reliable in detect- ing Alzheimer's disease, available since 1975. Taking about 10 minutes to complete, the MMSE measures aspects of cognition that include orientation, word recall, attention and calculation, language abilities, and visual construction. Scores may need to be adjusted or interpreted differently to account for a person's age, educational level, and ethnicity/race.
Your Care. Your Community. Your Choice.
Thornapple Manor has served the Barry County area for over 63 years promoting independence and quality of life
in a caring and loving environment. We specialize in providing expertise and experience in skilled 24-hour long-term care,
short-term inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, memory care, and assisted living coming in summer 2022.
2700 Nashville Road, Hastings, MI 49058 (269) 945-2407 • www.thornapplemanor.com
Award-Winning | 5-Star Rated
50 Sanderson Lane, Coldwater, MI 49036
517.279.9587 Maple-Lawn.org
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SENIOR HOUSING DIRECTORY | 2022