Tuesday, Nov. 19 is National Memory Screening Day. Like every state in the United States, New Jersey has acknowledged The Alzheimer Foundation of America's holiday by offering free memory screenings throughout its borders, nj.com reported.
Tests are being held at 67 locations around the state, from local YMCA's to Kmart's to adult care centers, according to afascreenings.org. Every state is participating; even Hawaii has 11 testing locations.
The goal of today's outreach is to "Provide free, confidential memory screenings to those with memory concerns or who want to check their memory, eliminate the stigma and fears associated with dementia, encourage those with memory problems to follow up with an exam by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis, treatment, social services and community resources, educate the public about Alzheimer's disease and successful aging, and alleviate the fears of those who do not have a problem," according to nationalmemoryscreening.org.
Just ten minutes long, the test is conducted privately and involves a series of tests and/or tasks designed to uncover any deficiencies in memory, language skills, thinking ability, and other mental functions.
Directly after, the test supervisor reviews the results, determines if further action needs to be taken, and, if so, provides recommendations. The results are confidential, though participants will be offered a copy to bring to their health care professional. The Alzheimer Foundation of America notes that screenings are not intended to "diagnose any particular illness and does not replace consultation with a qualified physician or other healthcare professional."
A few questions seniors should ask themselves if they are considering taking the test, according to The Alzherimer Foundation:
• Am I becoming more forgetful?
• Do I have trouble concentrating?
• Do I have difficulty performing familiar tasks?
• Do I have trouble recalling words or names in conversation?
• Do I sometimes forget where I am or where I am going?
