November 2006 Vol. 25. No. 11

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Alzheimer's Month: Walking the long road together
What are the new private fee-for-service Medicare plans all about?
Senior employment: Experience Works replaces AARP
Light a candle for Alzheimer's
Memory screenings set Nov. 14
Honoring veterans: Take a sentimental journey with us Nov. 11

Pick up a copy today! Better yet, subscribe and never miss an issue!

Brought to you by

The Humboldt Senior Resource Center will offer free memory screenings on Nov. 14. Anyone who is concerned that they or someone they love may have memory problems may call to schedule a confidential 20-minute appointment.

Screenings will be held:
• Eureka, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Humboldt Senior Resource Center
• Fortuna, 1-4 p.m. at Adult Day Health Services
• Arcata, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Arcata Community Center

This event is part of National Memory Screening Day, a project of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America that promotes early detection and intervention for those concerned about memory loss.

This is the second year HSRC has offered the screenings. The agency added more screening locations and appointment slots this year after experiencing a huge demand for their first memory screening last November, which resulted in more than 50 people on a waiting list.

"We were surprised last year at how much interest there was," said Maggie Kraft, director of Adult Day Health Services at the Humboldt Senior Resource Center. "It was the first year we had participated in National Memory Screening Day, so we didn't know what to expect. Memory loss is clearly an issue of serious concern for many seniors in our community."

To meet this need, HSRC also held memory screening training sessions earlier this month for social service and health care workers so that more agencies in the area would be able to administer memory tests for concerned seniors on an ongoing basis, rather than just once per year.

Early detection of memory problems is critical to proper care. Although a memory screening cannot diagnose any particular illness, it can be a significant first step toward early detection of Alzheimer's disease or another condition that is causing memory loss.

In addition, many conditions that cause problems with memory or concentration may be partially or completely reversible. Memory can be affected by factors ranging from stress and lack of sleep to vitamin deficiencies, depression or thyroid problems. In general, the earlier the diagnosis, the easier it is to treat the problem.

The memory screening test takes approximately 10 minutes. Information about memory problems and local resources will also be available at each of the screening sites.