The Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York will be hosting two informational and screening seminars in August.
On Saturday, Aug. 11, the association will host an informational session to help families better understand the disease. The session will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the association’s office at 85 Watervliet Ave., Albany. On Wednesday, Aug. 15 a memory screening will be conducted by Albany Neurological Associates at the First United Methodist Church, 438 Kenwood Ave., Delmar.
The sessions are part of an ongoing effort to better inform the public and dispel misconceptions about the disease. They are also helping to spread the word about early diagnoses and medication available now and on the way to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s go on living healthy lives.
Alzheimer’s is the fourth-most common disease in America, and it is expected to affect more seniors as baby boomers reach retirement age.
Our population is healthier and living longer lives so the frequency of Alzheimer’s is increasing. We have medication to treat this problem, but the earlier we can get a diagnoses the better we will be able to help them (those diagnosed) through their lifetime, said Dr. Richard Holub with Albany Neurological Associates.
There has always been a sense of hopelessness with the disease, he said. However, screenings and informational sessions like those scheduled in August have done well to help get the word out.
Through the association, doctors are able to reach more people and help them determine if their concerns are in fact early signs of the disease’s onset.
Constantly misplacing items or going somewhere to realize one can’t remember why they did are not always signs of Alzheimer’s. Neither are genealogical factors. In fact, it is rare that they are. But if the signs exist and caregivers can link it to Alzheimer’s, the pain and suffering that could be spared is immeasurable.
`What we are trying to make a push for is early detection because there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. It can be treated, and they can make it more comfortable for sufferers,` said Alice Horner, the association’s Capital District program manager. `This is really aimed at baby boomers who are hitting the Alzheimer’s roles big time.`
Screenings will include the `mini mental state examination,` a 10-minute exam that helps doctors assess cognitive function. Through conceptual problems, counting and memory exercises, doctors will be able to better determine if one shows the early signs of the disease.
But the latest rounds of informational sessions and screenings are more than that. For the first time, the association has a hopeful message. That message is that doctors, like Holub, are beginning to understand what causes the disease, and in doing so have been able to better treat it. To date, there are five medications on the market that help, and several more are currently undergoing Federal Drug Administration testing and could be available soon.
For the first time in years, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the disease’s treatment, said Horner.
According to the association, the official number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s was upped to 5.1 million from 4.5 million in an April report. The same information also shows that one in eight people older than 65 years old will have the disease.
`There was a sense that Alzheimer’s was a natural step in aging. Now we know that it’s a disease that’s treatable, and when treated helps people live healthier lives,` said Holub.
That’s happened in the last 22 years, he said. Now with as many as 50 to 100 people coming to the sessions and screenings, scores of people are getting treated early and combating the disease early on.
To register or get information about the Aug. 11 session call (800) 272-3900 and ask for Jamie. To register for the Aug. 15 screening call 438-2217 ext. 203 and ask for Alice.
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