According to a survey released by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America older adults listed Alzheimer’s disease as one of their top health concerns. Despite this, many are not talking to their doctor about their concerns. More than 80% of those surveyed had visited their primary-care physician in the last six months but less than 10 percent raised the subject. An estimated 5.1 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and that number is rising as baby boomers head into their 60s.

“Impaired memory can be an indicator of a number of conditions and the goal is to determine the cause of the problem,” says Eric Hall, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s chief executive officer. “Individuals need to be pro-active about their own memory health, and health-care professionals need to aggressively raise the issue and utilize available screening tools so that we can get a handle on this escalating crisis.”

To help raise public awareness, sites across the country offer free, confidential screenings today. The annual event was initiated by the foundation five years ago to coincide with National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.

This year, 2,000 senior community centers, assisted-living facilities, adult day centers, and doctor’s offices will offer the confidential screenings, along with education about Alzheimer’s disease, successful aging and referrals to local resources.

For a list of participating sites, visit www.nationalmemoryscreening.org or call the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s toll-free number: 866-AFA-8484.

More resources available at AGIS.com:
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Filed under: Alzheimer's