Dementia Information
Are you or someone you care about at risk for Dementia:
Some parts of aging are normal, but developing dementia is not. There are many types of dementia, and not all present the same way. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, but people can also have vascular dementia, lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, or mixed dementia.
Memory Loss: Not just forgetting some details or missing an appointment and remembering later. The memory loss associated with dementia is often noticed by a spouse or another loved one first. It often shows up as someone forgetting recently learned information, important names or dates, or heavy reliance on other people to act as a “memory aid.”
Difficulty concentrating on tasks especially those requiring more “problem-solving skills.” This includes things like keeping track of monthly bills, following recipes or directions or working with numbers. They may become easily frustrated and hard to redirect.
Difficulty with familiar daily routines like driving someplace familiar, counting change at a store.
Struggling to follow a conversation; including not remembering typical vocabulary, not being able to keep a conversation going, or repeating themselves frequently. May have difficulty finding their words and getting easily frustrated with themselves or others.
Mood or personality changes including poor judgment, withdrawing socially, increased anxiety, depression, getting upset more easily, or inappropriate behavior.
This is not an exhaustive list
Resources available:
There are many resources available with much more detail and information.
It is vitally important to talk to your primary care physician as a first step in diagnosing dementia and creating a potential treatment plan.
Evaluations:
Memory Screening:
A short (15-30 minute) set of questions, some verbal, some on paper that give a glimpse of cognitive functioning. It does NOT provide a diagnosis or give medical information for how severe the cognitive issue is at that moment in time. What it does provide is a starting point to help an individual know about deficits, a chance to talk with the person giving the screen to provide resources and what steps to take next with healthcare professionals and other social services.
FamilyMeans
Provides periodic community memory screenings in the Washington County area and beyond, with follow-up about resources and services. Please contact Heidi Ricks, the Dementia Program Coordinator at 651-789-401. For more information: hricks@familymeans.org or