St. Mary's Health Matters video on Dementia
During a recent Health Matters segment, Dr. Petersen and Holly Hoing spoke about dementia and the Countryside Memory Center. Barb Hillestad shared the dementia journey from a family perspective and Jackie Protexter from St. Mary's Rehab department discussed the importance of involving community resources in the care of dementia patients and their families. If you missed the program you can view it at:
Countryside Memory Center Opens for Screening
The Countryside Memory Center started regular screenings in August 2011. Screenings are held twice a month.
Who qualifies for a memory screen? Anyone who is experiencing memory issues or anyone who has a family history and would like to have a baseline screen.
How do you get an appointment? You can call the Countryside Hospice office 945-0827 for more information or to make an appointment. You do not need a physician referral and there is no charge for the screening.
What is the screening process?
· Prior to your appointment a phone interview will be completed.
· The actual screen appointment will take approximately 2 hours and will include a brief physical exam, medication review, family history and a variety of memory tests.
· After your screen the team will compile the results and send them to your primary physician who may order lab work or other testing.
· Your physician will advise you of your diagnosis and prescribe medication if indicated.
· You may return to Countryside for additional information about memory loss or community resources.
· If there are concerns about your screen you will be scheduled to return for retesting on a routine basis.
In order to provide the best screening possible we will ask many questions about your daily routine, medical history, family history, injuries etc. All of this is necessary to obtain the best picture possible of your memory health.
Our goal? Early diagnosis, appropriate treatment and support for the patient and family.
Memory Loss
There are many reasons for memory loss. Some of them are reversible, some are not. Either way, early diagnosis can help.Your memory loss may be related to illness, depression, medications, emotional or physical trauma, stroke, stress or sleep deprivation. These are all potentially reversible situations.
Early diagnosis can rule out a progressive memory disorder and get you back on the road to recovery.
But for some, early memory loss may be the beginning of a long, difficult journey. This may include the diagnosis of Alzheimer's or other dementia. Early diagnosis can help ensure that the correct medication is provided to help the patient maintain at the highest level of functioning possible. It can also provide support and resource information for the family.
Countryside Hospice will provide an opportunity for early screening for memory loss beginning this spring. The process is fairly simple: our social work and nursing team will obtain a detailed history from the patient and their family and conduct a series of cognitive tests. These results will be forwarded to your physician who will order needed lab tests and brain imaging and provide the diagnosis and treatment plan. Patients will return to the memory clinic periodically for follow up testing.
All testing will be done in our office in a quiet, confidential setting. The initial visit will take about 2 hours. We will start by doing a clinic twice a month. There is no charge for screening. Staff is training under the direction of Drs. Kim and Gail Petersen from the consulting firm ElderAdvocates, Inc. in Wisconsin. The Petersen's are well known dementia specialists and have developed memory clinics in several states. Their 25 years of experience in dementia care, both personally and professional provides a broad base of knowledge for the team. We look forward to continuing to work with them on a consulting basis after the training is completed.
Countryside Memory Center team (L to R): Cindy Clair, Stacy Shrake, Holly Hoing, Elaine Konechne