Alzheimer’s disease affects about two to four million Americans with that number only expected to go up over the next decade and beyond as the median age of Americans continues to increase. There are an ever-increasing number of memory screenings, which purport to give advance warning that someone may have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in general. Some advocate these screening tests, but others wonder if they are worth it.
The Effectiveness of Alzheimer’s Memory Screenings
One problem that many in the health care field have begun pointing out with regard to a Alzheimer’s memory screening test is their lack of efficacy. Some doctors have reported that only a small proportion of those who fail one of these tests then end up getting diagnosed with dementia when they actually go to their doctor. There’s also no set standard for these screening tests. Some are community screenings administered by health care professionals, and these are probably among the better ones. There are, however, a plethora of online memory tests for dementia that leave the person at home taking it, and their family, to interpret results that they are probably not educated to interpret correctly.
The Point of Screening for a Disease We Can’t Cure
The efficacy of screening for an illness that has no established treatment regimen is also being questioned. Finding out one has Alzheimer’s can make one scared and create a stigma for the sufferer. It would be one thing if there were a treatment plan they could be put on upon being diagnosed, but without this, some doctors don’t screen for it. Even if one did advocate diagnosing the disease early on, the only truly effective testing for dementia is by going to one’s doctor and receiving a battery of tests that include questionnaires and brain scans. They’ll also talk to relatives of the person who may have noticed changes in their behavior and memory.
What We Can Do for Our Loved Ones With Dementia
If you suspect your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, you should take them to the doctor to be professionally screened for the illness. You don’t want to give them a stigma unnecessarily from the multitude of unreliable Alzheimer’s memory screening tests out there. Even if there is no cure, you still want to have all the information you can get so your family can be prepared to care for your elderly parent. At-home assistance for elderly parents is an option you may want to consider.
At-Home Assistance for Elderly Parents With Alzheimer’s
If you live in the Cherry Hill, New Jersey area, you need to know about a company called Home to Stay Health Care. They have been providing home nursing care in Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel, NJ for three decades. Their senior companion care in Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill and the surrounding areas include services that take care of your elderly parent’s light housekeeping, meal preparation and laundry chores as well as personal care services such as bathing, dressing and moving them between their bed and chair.
One big benefit of hiring a company that provides at-home assistance for elderly parents in Cherry Hill is that they will be in a familiar environment for as long as possible. This is particularly important when they suffer from the ravages of a disease like Alzheimer’s that robs them of precious memories. Feelings of confusion and being lost can only be enhanced if they suddenly find themselves in the environment of an assisted-care living facility. If you are located in New Jersey, contact Home to Stay today to learn more at (856) 321-1500 (Cherry Hill) or (732) 820-9611 (Red Bank). Our AlzBetter Alzheimer’s home care program is renowned for treating elderly loved ones with the respect they deserve by filling their days with essential tasks and meaningful activities, so they’ll still feel they have a purpose and joy in life.
