SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Residents over the age of 60 in seven regional counties will be able to get free memory screenings from their county’s Office for the Aging (OFA).

The counties include Cayuga, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego, and Tompkins. Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University (SU) are collaborating on the effort that they detailed in an Oct. 15 announcement.

The project seeks to assess the benefits of this type of screening in this setting and represents the first step in a plan that could make such screenings available at OFAs across New York.

Early recognition of memory changes that could indicate early-stage dementia is “important to help older adults get the medical attention they need to avoid a crisis,” Upstate Medical said in its announcement.

“If we are aware of early signs of memory issues, we can connect the individual to health care professionals who can begin appropriate treatment, while taking steps to educate and support families to improve the individual’s quality of life,” Dr. Sharon Brangman, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor; chair of geriatrics; and director of the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, said in the announcement. “The ability to easily screen this segment of the population has the potential to benefit both the individual and their families significantly.”

Brangman also noted that changes that early dementia might cause can include changes in memory, depression, anxiety, aggression, or lack of interest.

In an earlier Upstate/SU pilot that looked at Onondaga County residents, Brown found that over a nine-month screening phase, 18 (26 percent) of the 69 mostly African American adults over the age of 65 who were screened had scores suggesting cognitive impairment.

How the program works

Upstate staff members have trained Office for the Aging case managers in the selected counties to administer what is called the “Mini-Cog,” a three-minute screening tool to assess potential memory loss. OFA staff can administer the screen in an individual’s home during a routine visit or at the county office.

OFA case managers will only administer the screening. They will not make any diagnoses based on the screening results, Upstate Medical said.

If the Mini-Cog indicates any sign of memory change, OFA will refer the individual to Upstate University Geriatricians for a geriatric assessment.

Project officials say OFAs are appropriate entities to participate in this project as they already conduct standard assessments for clients. Called COMPASS, for Comprehensive Assessment for Aging Network Community Based Long Term Care Services, this assessment addresses issues such as housing, nutrition, psycho-social status, medications, daily activities, support network, and health, but it does not currently screen for memory issues.

SU involvement

To evaluate the merits of this screening approach in community settings, Maria Brown, associate research professor in SU’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the Aging Studies Institute, will analyze screening information over the yearlong project. The analysis will seek to identify the number of clients screened, number of clients with scores indicating memory changes, number of clients who receive follow-up assessments, and their diagnostic results.

“We are excited about improving the ability of OFAs to identify older adults across the Central New York region who could benefit from geriatric evaluations and connection to services to address their changing needs,” Brown said.

Officials involved expect to screen about 3,750 individuals, and based on statistical analysis, they project that about 975 will have scores suggesting some memory concerns.

If results of the evaluation show this screening approach with OFA to be a success, Upstate will create an online training manual and companion videos for use by the New York State Office for the Aging that could be included in the training of OFA staff throughout New York.

The training resource also has the potential to be used by the Offices for the Aging nationwide that have similar missions, programs, and staffing, Upstate noted.

State reaction

Greg Olson, New York state director of the Office for the Aging, said the opportunity for his agency to be part of this process makes sense.

“Early detection of a memory problem such as dementia, is vital for timely medical intervention and, just as importantly, to begin connecting individuals and families to the many community-based supports available through local offices for the aging,” Olson said in the Upstate announcement. “These offices for the aging are ideally suited to support detection efforts because of their experience assessing individuals holistically, screening for targeted areas of concern, and delivering on the services and supports necessary to help a person age in place, whether it’s case management, home adaptations, personal care supports, nutrition, or other programs.”

Olson went on to say, “I applaud SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Department of Geriatrics and Syracuse University’s Aging Studies Institute for this innovative collaborative effort with Offices for the Aging in their region.”