Shortage of Geriatric Specialists--Don't Wait Until You Need One: Take Online Early Detection Dementia Test!

Author Elder Rage www.ElderRage.com
Host Coping With Caregiving Radio Show www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving

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In 1998 the United States only had 9,000 Geriatricians (an MD with a specialty in geriatrics) trained to care for 34 million Americans over age 65! A sobering new statistic reveals the figure has declined to only 6,700 specialists, yet the need steadily rises with a projection of 62 million people being over 65 by 2025!

An estimated 43% of Americans 65 and older will spend time in a nursing home, and by 2012, 75% of Americans over age 65 will require long-term care. Because of advances in medicine, people are living longer than ever (with the fastest growing segment of the population being the 85+ group), however, age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease. One in 10 over age 65, and nearly half over the age of 85 are afflicted.

A person with Alzheimer's will live an average of 8 and as many as 20 years or more from the onset of symptoms. An estimated 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's now (more than double since 1980), yet millions have not been diagnosed because the earliest signs OFTEN get chalked up to a "normal part of aging".

All this brings me to my mission of spreading the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. My heart sinks so often when I ask people how their elderly parents are and I hear, "Oh, they are doing real good...just a little dementia and a little memory loss, but that's normal for their ages. And anyway, it's not really that bad yet."

A "little dementia" is how it always starts (you don't go from normal to demented overnight), but that's not how it ends. If you notice illogical or irrational behaviors, short-term memory loss, anything that strikes you as odd and makes you question it, and any of the Warning Signs: http://www.elderrage.com/alzheimers.asp -please don't ignore it and chalk it all up to aging.

Write the incidents down and keep track of these behaviors and then seek a specialist sooner than later, even though they are few and far between. The best way to find one is by calling the Alzheimer's Association (800-272-3900) and asking for their guidance in finding a specialist in your area.

I want to direct you to Dr. Rodman Shankle, an Internationally recognized specialist in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, who contributed the addendum to my book on treating dementia, which helped make "Elder Rage" required reading at numerous universities for courses in geriatric assessment and management. I just love that new doctors have to read my book and that we are training them for all those future elders!

Medical Care Corporation, the company Dr. Shankle is the Chief Medical Director for, has a wonderful website for the public with an online test called the Memory Screen, which is 94% accurate in detecting the earliest changes due to Alzheimer's and related disorders. You can take the test for yourself or for a loved one that you may be concerned about. If the Memory Screen says there is a problem, then it is important to seek further evaluation to define the underlying cause of the problem.

I highly recommend you take the test for your elders to get a baseline (and for yourself), which will be helpful when you discuss cognitive impairment or dementia with your doctor and you want a referral to a specialist! http://www.preventad.com/

Medical Care Corporation also has products available for professionals for use in their own practice, including a highly accurate memory assessment called the MCI Screen: http://www.mccare.com/

Remember, with EARLY- EARLY-EARLY diagnosis and treatment, the progression of dementia (Alzheimer's is one type) can be slowed down, buying time for medical science to come up with better treatments and delaying fulltime care.

Jacqueline Marcell Author Elder Rage www.ElderRage.com
Host Coping With Caregiving Radio Show www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving

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