To be honest, before I read about National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, I had never even heard of memory screening.  I also didn’t realize that there were things a person could do to decrease the chances of getting Alzheimer’s.  Since I know a couple people who suffer from Alzheimer’s, and since I’ve seen how difficult it is for both the person and the person’s family and friends, I was immediately interested in learning more.

Since November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, I’ve been reading up on it.  Alzheimer’s disease is one disease that probably scares me more than any other.  The idea of losing my memory is scary.  I checked the National Memory Screening webiste and found all sorts of interesting information about Alzheimer’s disease and other related illnesses.  The section on “successful aging” was a good one to find out what to do to help lower my chances of having Alzheimer’s.  The site also has a list of who should be screened: 

Memory screenings make sense for anyone concerned about memory loss or experiencing warning signs of dementia; whose family and friends have noticed changes in them; or who believe they are at risk due to a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or a related illness. Screenings also are appropriate for anyone who does not have a concern right now, but who wants to establish a base line score for comparison in the future.

A baseline score - that’s a good idea.  The site provides a list of memory screening locations.  You can click on the link to find one near you. 

Why should a person have a memory screening?  The simple answer is that if Alzheimer’s disease is indicated, there are steps that one can follow to help control it.  Among them are to exercise daily, maintain a social network of friends, participate in regular mental exercise, limit alcohol consumption and take certain vitamins.

Researchers are seeking a cure for Alzheimer’s - and that’s important.  Also important is ensuring quality care for people who suffer from the disease.  You can make a contribution to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.  It would make a great holiday gift.  You can also follow the suggetions for “successful aging” to decrease your own chances of having Alzheimer’s.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 at 7:46 pm and is filed under Life Lessons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.