SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University (SU) are collaborating on an effort to allow residents over the age of 60 in seven regional counties 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.