The Value of Memory Screenings

Most people with dementia remain undiagnosed by their primary care providers, and families often fail to recognize the significance of early cognitive symptoms. In response, there has been a growing interest in screenings for memory problems. National Memory Screening Day is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), in collaboration with community organizations that promotes early detection of memory problems as well as Alzheimer's disease and related illnesses, and encourages appropriate intervention. By popular demand, The Dale Association is again participating in a day of confidential memory screenings, as well as follow-up resources and information about dementia and successful aging. These screenings are not a diagnosis, but can suggest whether a medical evaluation would be beneficial. Extensive study has indicated that these screenings are of value to individuals who participate in them. A screening can check a person’s memory and other thinking skills. It can indicate if someone might benefit from a more complete medical visit. It is important to identify the disease or problem that is causing memory loss. Some memory problems can be readily treated, such as those caused by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems. Other memory problems might result from causes that are not currently reversible, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In general, the earlier the diagnosis, the easiest it is to treat one of these conditions. Unfortunately, with an issue as sensitive as Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, there is often misinformation. AFA has provided us with some facts to address some of the more common misconceptions about memory screening and National Memory Screening Day. AFA believes that all individuals should be empowered to make informed decisions to better manage their own health, not discouraged from screening based on misinformation. Memory screenings are a significant first step toward finding out if a person may have a memory problem. Memory problems could be caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other medical conditions. 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 are also appropriate for anyone who does not have a concern right now, but who wants to see how their memory is now and for future comparisons. Questions to ask: Am I becoming for forgetful? Do I have trouble concentrating? Do I have trouble 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? Am I misplacing things more often? Have family or friends told me that I repeating questions or saying the same thing over and over again? Have I become lost when walking or driving? Have my family or friends noticed changes in my mood, behavior, personality or desire to do things? According to a recent survey by Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 64% of individuals who responded to the study thought the behavioral symptoms (such as, irritability, anxiety) of the people they were caring for were a normal part of aging prior to their diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. 67% of these caregivers stated that these thoughts delayed the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging, but age is the greatest risk factor. The number of people with the disease doubles for every five-year age interval beyond 65. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia is critical. It allows the individual and their family to learn and plan better for the future. I hope that as you read this article, you will take advantage of the free screening for yourself or somebody you care about (or both). The face-to-face screening takes place in a private setting. The person who administers the screening reviews the results with the person who is screened, and suggests that those with abnormal scores and those with normal scores but who still have concerns follow up with a physician or other healthcare professional. The person who is screened receives the screening results to bring to his or her healthcare professional, as well as materials with information about memory issues and questions to ask healthcare professionals. Information about successful aging, including the benefits of proper diet, physical exercise, mental stimulation, socialization and stress management will also be available. The memory screening tests made available to participating sites (including The Dale Association) are validated for effectiveness. It is important to keep in mind that NO medical test, whether for screening or for diagnosis, is 100% accurate and any test can produce “false positive” or “false negative” results. However, the memory screening test that AFA provides for National Memory Screening Day demonstrates 80 – 90% or higher probability of true positives and probability of true negatives in reviewed studies – similar to other established screening tests such as a mammography and Pap smear. Please help spread the word about Memory Screening Day on November 21, 2013 from 1 – 4 pm. Appointments are now being accepted for a free memory screening; please call 433-1886 to reserve your spot.

Medicare Changes in 2014

Medicare's annual open enrollment period starts October 15th and ends December 7th. This is the time of year when everyone with Medicare can join or change their health and prescription drug plans for 2014. This includes anyone using traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage and prescription drug coverage. Depending on our needs, you can switch coverage from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or vice versa. You can also switch your Part D plan, which pays for medications. Any changes you make will take effect January 1st. Medicare Advantage participants should review plan changes as soon as they receive information from their providers. Changes could include costs such as premiums, deductibles and co-pays, as well as changes to covered procedures, tests and other provisions. Some plans may be eliminated, requiring enrollees to choose a new plan or default to traditional Medicare Part B. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans continues to increase, with more Medicare beneficiaries choosing these plans in recent years. Medicare beneficiaries should receive their Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and Evidence of Coverage (EOC) from their existing Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plan providers. Take time to review the information you receive and look at all of your Medicare options; you may find more affordable coverage through a different combination of plans -- whether Medicare Advantage or traditional Medicare with Part D and Medigap plans. Keep in mind that you may see a lot of ads for Medicare plans, but there could be a plan that's perfect for you that isn't getting a lot of attention with ads and mailers. This is an important opportunity to make sure you are getting the most from your Medicare benefits. Every year, Medicare plans change and so do your needs. It’s worth the time to shop around to see if the coverage is still the best for your situation. A free “Understanding Medicare Plan Choices for 2014” meeting is scheduled for October 31, 2013 at 10:00am at The Dale Association, 33 Ontario Street, Lockport. Learn about the changes to Medicare plans, get updates about enrollment, NYS EPIC, Medicare Part D and the “Extra Help” Low Income Subsidy Program. Representatives from Niagara County Office for the Aging, NYS EPIC, and Medicare Advantage Plan Representatives will be present to provide enrollment assistance and to answer questions.

Super Agers

They’re age 80 and older, yet they have the memory and brain power of people in their 50s. So what’s their secret? That’s what researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine are trying to figure out. A new study found that this elite group of elderly — or SuperAgers, as researchers call them — have brains that appear as young as people in the prime of middle-age. In fact, one brain region of this SuperAger group was even bigger and healthier than a person’s in midlife. The senior study author wanted to know what was different about the brains of people in their 80s who were super-sharp cognitively. For the study, participants in their 80s and older were screened. Only 10 percent of those who considered themselves to have “outstanding memories,” made the cut. Eventually, 12 SuperAgers, plus a control group of 10 normally aging adults with an average age of 83, were chosen, as well as 14 middle-aged participants, average age 58. Looking at three-dimensional MRI scans, researchers were surprised by the remarkable appearance of the SuperAgers’ cortex – that is the portion of the brain responsible for memory, attention and other thinking abilities. While the cortex had begun to thin among normally aging people in their 80s, the SuperAger group had a thick, healthy cortex similar to adults 20 or 30 years younger. Plus, in another brain region important for memory, the SuperAgers’ was actually thicker than those age 50 to 65. Researchers’ ultimate goal is to unlock the secret behind why some people are protected against the deterioration of memory and diminished brain cells that typically accompanies aging. She hopes her discoveries can help protect others from memory loss or even Alzheimer’s disease. Many scientists study what’s wrong with the brain, but maybe we can ultimately help Alzheimer’s patients by figuring out what goes right in the brains of SuperAgers.

Senior Centers: Community Focal Point

According to National Council on Aging, senior centers are a community focal point and have become one of the most widely used services among older adults. Today, 11,400 senior centers serve more than 1 million older adults every day. Some interesting facts about participants: • Approximately 70% of senior center participants are women; half of them live alone. • The majority are Caucasian, followed by African Americans, Hispanics and Asians, respectively. • Compared with their peers, senior center participants have higher levels of health, social interaction, and life satisfaction and lower levels of income. • The average age of participants is 75. • 75% of participants visit their center 1 to 3 times per week. They spend an average of 3.3 hours per visit. Services: • Senior centers serve as a gateway to the nation’s aging network – connecting older adults to vital community services that can help them stay healthy and independent. • Senior Centers offer a wide variety of programs and services, including: o Meal and nutrition programs o Information and assistance o Health, fitness, and wellness programs o Transportation services o Public benefits counseling o Employment assistance o Volunteer and civic engagement opportunities o Social and recreational activities o Educational and arts programs o Intergenerational programs • To maintain operations, senior centers must leverage resources from a variety of sources. These include federal, state, and local governments; special events; public and private grants; businesses; participant contributions; in-kind donations; and volunteer hours. Most centers rely on 3 to 8 different funding sources. Research shows that older adults who participate in senior center programs can learn to manage and delay the onset of chronic disease and experience measurable improvements in their physical, social, spiritual, mental, and economic well being. Baby boomers now constitute more than two-thirds of the 50+ population. Senior centers are developing new programs and opportunities for this dynamic generation of older adults. We invite you to visit our Senior Center, at 33 Ontario St, Lockport!

How to Give the Ultimate Keepsake

What are your personal financial goals? Amid the frenzy of financial demands—such as ensuring the stability of everyday lifestyle needs and planning for a secure retirement – do you also want to pass on some of your assets you worked so hard for over the years to your loved one? Do you have assets set aside for legacy gifting? An astonishingly large number of us, whether our assets are modest or great, live unaware of the power of planning. It is easy to put off future goals when today’s challenges and pleasures seem a high priority. Yet, the purpose of planning, after all, is to protect the people you care about most, long after you are unable to do so. The public is invited to a free seminar “How to Give the Ultimate Keepsake – learn how asset transfer planning can help increase the amount of money you leave to your heirs.” The seminar is presented by Doug Brino, northeast region sales director for Great West Life; hosted by David Gibbons, financial consultant from M&T Securities, Inc and Chris Marra, Lockport branch manager from M&T Bank on Wednesday, September 25th from 11:00 am – 12:00pm at The Dale Association, 33 Ontario Street, Lockport. A man from humble beginnings, Phil never thought he would be in a position to make large estate gifts. But as his career blossomed and his wealth increased, he continuously thought back to his childhood and the values taught to him by his mother. “My mother used to say, ‘It’s more important to do good than it is to do well, but if you do well, you must do good.’ ” Phil finds great satisfaction from sharing his blessings with others. The seminar will provide strategies to ensure your assets will be transferred to your beneficiaries while having you maintain access to your money. Jessica recently lost her mother. Mom thought she had planned well, but Jessica found out when it was too late that there were many loose ends to mom’s estate plans that cost the family dearly. Now, Jessica is determined to make sure the same thing does not happen to her family when she is gone. Another topic that will be discussed at the seminar is that transfers of assets can be free from federal income tax and beneficiaries can possibly avoid the delays and costs of probate. People interested in attending the free seminar are asked to RSVP to Chris Marra at 433-6733. Assorted cookies and beverages will be served.

Hearing Screenings Provide Insight

Sensory changes that people experience as part of the aging process are often misunderstood and lead to false stereotyping or labeling of a person as confused or failing. Sensory changes can include vision, diminishing taste or smell, or the focus of this week’s column, hearing changes. If you are an individual with reduced hearing, my hope is that this information will provide some tips to aid you in your daily functioning, happiness, and independence. If you are family or friend of a person with reduced hearing, my hope is that you too will gain some ideas about how to help your relatives and/or friends with their hearing loss. And, free hearing screenings will be offered for individuals who are interested. Be aware that as people age, there is a decline in their ability to hear. This age related hearing loss is usually greater for men than for women. The reason for this is unknown, but it is suspected that men have been exposed to more damaging noise during their lifetimes in the military service or in their jobs. People with hearing losses must depend upon others to speak clearly to them because they cannot compensate for their hearing loss themselves. When speaking to a hearing impaired individual, speak clearly and slowly and do not change the topic abruptly. Be sure to face the person at eye level and have light on your face so lip reading is possible. Ask the person what you can do to make hearing easier. People with normal hearing have a wide range between the quietest sound they can hear and the loudness which will be painful or irritating. For the hard of hearing, this range will be much smaller. Sounds may have to be quite loud to be heard, but if the sounds are even a little louder they may be too loud and become painful. Hearing loss is worse for high frequencies; some sounds will be heard while others will not. Sounds may be distorted, heard incorrectly, or misinterpreted. Talk to hard of hearing people to find out what tone is best to use with them. Do not assume that simply making things louder will resolve the problem. Try not to allow your voice to become high and shrill – women should be especially careful about this. When there is a sound system being used for music or an oral presentation of any kind, it should be adjusted so that the base and lower tones are predominant. This will make it easier for hard of hearing people to enjoy the music or understand what is being said. Hearing loss is greater for consonants than for vowels. S, Z, T, F, and G are particularly difficult to tell apart, causing difficulty in hearing words correctly. Similar words such as cat and sat can be difficult to discriminate. People should be aware that even if the sounds can be heard, they might not always be heard correctly. It is helpful to choose a quiet private place with out background noise for conversations. Some hearing deficits can be helped by the use of hearing aids. They must be worn and adjusted correctly in order to help. And, select a seller who promptly responds to your concerns and works with you to resolve fitting and volume adjustment problems. Look for a seller who will teach you how to use the device and be available to service it. Some hearing deficits cannot be helped by hearing aids and the hearing is so poor that verbal communication is difficult. In this case, encourage use of nonverbal communication such as big smiles, waving or demonstrating. Provide items which can be seen and handled as conversation starters. Also, do not overlook the potential for writing to communicate. Provide opportunities for people to participate in activities that are enjoyable but require little conversation; playing cards, doing puzzles, preparing food and taking walks for example. When people cannot hear what is being said, be sure that they know what is going on and what the conversation is about. If there is a conversation that does not concern them, tell him/her the topic so that he/she will not feel left out or talked about. Hearing is important to more than communication. It is also a way of getting signals from the surroundings and therefore relates to safety. People who work or live with a hard of hearing person should keep this in mind. People in the community should also consider that an older person crossing the street may or may not hear a car horn. Hearing loss affects several aspects of a person’s life and the lives of their family and friends. Learning how to handle the hearing loss can be beneficial to everyone. If you or somebody you care about would like a free hearing screening, appointments are now being scheduled for October 2, 2013 from 3:30 - 5:00pm at The Dale Association, 33 Ontario Street, Lockport. The screenings will be done by Mr. David Pucci, an audiologist with Niagara Cerebral Palsy. Please call 433-1886 to register.

Qi Gong for Health

Qigong is coming to Lockport. What is Qigong? It is an ancient Chinese health care practice that uses gentle movements to promote strength, balance, relaxation, and coordination. It can be practiced sitting or standing and integrates posture, breathing techniques and some mental focus and relaxation techniques. The word is made up of two Chinese words. Qi is pronounced “chee” and is usually translated to mean the energy that flows through all things. The second word, gong, is pronounced “gung”. It means accomplishment or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qigong means cultivating energy. The gentle rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions. Those who maintain a consistent practice of Qigong, find that it helps one regain youthful vitality, maintain health and speed recovery from illness. Western scientific research confirms that Qigong reduces hypertension and incidence of falling in the aged population. One of the more important long-term effects is that Qigong reestablishes the body/mind/soul connection. When these three aspects of our being are integrated, it encourages a positive outlook on life that helps eliminate harmful attitudes and behaviors. It also creates a balanced life style, which brings greater harmony, stability and enjoyment. Jennifer Pedini, Stay Well Qigong Instructor, encourages people of all abilities to give Qigong a try. She says, “Qigong can interest and benefit everyone, from the most physically challenged to athletes. Anyone can enrich their lives by adding Qigong to their routine – of special interest to me is adults who are looking for gentle exercise to enhance balance, or reduce stress, or improve their overall health.” Ms. Pedini goes on to say, “A free introductory class is being offered for individuals who are curious and want to see if Qigong is something they would like to try. I think they will feel really good at the end of an hour, and want to add it to their wellness routine.” The free introductory class is being offered on September 11, 2013 from 9:00am – 10:00am at The Dale Association, 33 Ontario Street, Lockport, NY. Each class is $5.00 per session after the free session and enrollment is open with the ability to join anytime. The only “equipment” needed for this exercise is comfortable clothes and the desire to try the slow gentle movements of Qigong. As with any exercise program, it is recommended that you check with your physician before starting any new exercise.