<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has issued a final recommendation statement on screening for cognitive impairment in adults age 65 or older.</span> <span class="s3">What is the final recommendation?</span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s4">Those who are </span><span class="s2">having memory problems </span><span class="s4">should talk to their doctor or nurse, but currently, </span><span class="s5">there is not enough evidence for the task force to make a recommendation for or against screening all older adults for cognitive impairment.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The task force recognizes that cognitive impairment is a serious public health problem. It encourages health care professionals </span><span class="s2">and the general population </span><span class="s1">to be alert to early signs of cognitive impairment. </span><span class="s2">Health care professionals are urged </span><span class="s1">to follow up with patients who have symptoms or concerns. It also urges more research on screening and treat</span><span class="s2">ing </span><span class="s1">this health problem.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s5"><b>What is Cognitive Impairment?</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s6"><a href="http://franklinunitedmethodist.org/memory/">Cognitive impairment</a></span><span class="s1"> is a disorder that causes a person to have problems with memory or other mental activities, like learning, organizing and making decisions. It includes a range of conditions from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is </span><span class="s2">just </span><span class="s1">one type of cognitive impairment.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s5"><b>Risk Factors</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The main risk factor for cognitive impairment is getting older. Other risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, alcohol use, depression, poor diet and lack of exercise.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Mild cognitive impairment involves memory problems that are greater than normal but it does not interfere with a person’s usual daily activities. Symptoms of mild cognitive impairment are difficult to detect.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Dementia is much more serious. It is the loss of thinking, remembering and </span><span class="s2">lacks </span><span class="s1">reasoning skills to the point where it becomes difficult for a person to carry out </span><span class="s2">daily</span><span class="s1"> activities</span><span class="s2">,</span><span class="s1"> like bathing or dressing. People with dementia may also have behavioral and psychological problems. About 2.4 million to 5.5 million Americans have </span><span class="s2">some form of </span><span class="s1">dementia.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s5"><b>Screening</b></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Screening </span><span class="s2">usually involves </span><span class="s1">asking patients a series of questions and having them perform several tasks that measure memory, language skills, attention, decision-making and other mental functions.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s5"><b>Talking to Your Doctor</b></span></p>
<p class="p6"><span class="s1">Addressing memory issues can sometimes be difficult to talk about</span><span class="s4">. However, if you have been experiencing these problems or a family member has mentioned them, you may want to see your doctor or nurse to discuss these concerns. He or she can talk with you about </span><span class="s1">the next steps to take to </span><span class="s4">evaluate your symptoms. During this conversation, </span><span class="s1">you can </span><span class="s4">have a </span><span class="s1">chance to have your questions answered and concerns addressed. This is the best opportunity to consider personal preferences for making health care choices. It is usually best to <a href="http://franklinunitedmethodist.org/score-card/"><span class="s7">consider professional recommendations</span></a> to be fully informed and decide what actions might be right for you and your loved ones. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Source: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</span></p>
