Experts Call for Widespread Use of Memory Screenings and Emphasize Value of Early Detection o...(ding of Alzheimer's disease and foster t...),Health

According to Ashford, "Memory screening is one of the best tools to detect Alzheimer's disease or another problem that is causing memory loss. Impaired memory can be an indicator of many other conditions as well. The key is to find the root of the problem."

He also presented findings from two articles he co-authored entitled "Should Older Adults be Screened for Dementia?" that appeared in Alzheimer's & Dementia, The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. In one of the articles, the authors conclude, "Dementia screening in clinical settings is clearly appropriate for those whose risk is above a certain threshold, for example, persons older than the age of 75 years."

"Now is the time to prepare for the future by developing dementia screening systems and memory testing programs that will be able to detect patients with early phases of dementia," the authors said.

Ashford noted that he and his co-authors in an earlier article found that routine screening should be supported because physicians miss at least half of the cases of mild and moderate dementia, only recognizing it when the brain disorder is at least moderately advanced.

According to the article, "Only the implementation of screening practices can rectify this failure of current diagnostic practices."

Reinforcing this, Hall pointed to newly-released results of an AFA survey of participants in its 2006 National Memory Screening Day. The survey found that while 73 percent of respondents had memory concerns and more than 80 percent had visited their primary care physician within the last six months, fewer than 10 percent of those with concerns had discussed the issue with the physician.

"These discussions must become more commonplace. We need to better educate healthcare professionals about recognizing symptoms, and we must stress to the public that fear and denial can hurt them in the long run,
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