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The Importance Of Early Diagnosis
 We at the Alzheimer’s Association, along with our
colleagues in the scientific, medical and legal communities,
are major proponents of early diagnosis. The reasons
for this are many.
There are numerous conditions and diseases that can
cause the symptoms of dementia. Dementia is a symptom,
an umbrella term that means significant memory loss along
with losses in at least one other cognitive domain such as
reason, judgment or communication. It’s important to
know the cause of these symptoms to ensure appropriate
treatment. Some of these diseases/conditions are reversible,
i.e.,with the proper diagnosis and treatment the symptoms
of memory loss, etc. disappear and the person goes on to
live a normal life. Drug interactions and thyroid disease are
cases in point.
If the cause of the dementia symptoms is Alzheimer’s
disease (AD), the treatment can begin at this early stage
when some of the medications for AD may be most effective.
The person with dementia and the caregiver can begin to
learn about the disease and gather information about the
resources available to them throughout the course of the
disease.
The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more time there is
to plan for the future, and to do this planning when the
person with dementia (PWD) is still able to participate.
Concerns such as who will make the healthcare decisions
when the PWD is no longer able to make them for himself
and what are the PWD’s wishes regarding available
treatment measures now and as the disease progresses can
be addressed. Also, this would be the time when plans can
be put in place as to who is going to handle the PWD’s
finances, and to explore the various options to cover the
cost of care.
There’s a host of clinical
trials being conducted at the
Alzheimer’s Disease Centers
here in NYC and around
the country. Early diagnosis
gives the PWD the opportunity
to choose to participate
in a drug study or another kind of research that may be of
help to him or to others in the future.
It is no longer true that AD can only be diagnosed on
autopsy. Today, experts estimate that a skilled physician can
diagnose AD with more than 90 percent accuracy.
Our annual MemoryWalk is a major event with the purpose
of raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and
other dementias with a view towards promoting diagnosis
and treatment. Another way that the NYC Chapter offers
public awareness and thus promotes early diagnosis is
through our Speakers Bureau, and through our community
education efforts. If you are interested in having a presentation
by our Speakers Bureau at your senior center,
club, church or other community organizations, please call
Sarah Presser, Speakers Bureau Coordinator at 646-744-2952 or by e-mail at spresser@alznyc.org.
Through the Helpline and the Web site, you can also get
information about local attorneys who specialize in elder
law. The Helpline, the Web site and this Newsletter also
have information about the Legal & Financial Education
Meetings that the NYC Chapter hosts three times a
month. At these meetings, caregivers are given information
about the laws governing the delegation of healthcare and
financial decision making.
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