A newly designed cognition test is said to be able to help detect the presence of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
The new test is called the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination, or SAGE, for short. The test is not designed to diagnose dementia, but it does allow doctors to establish a baseline reading, which can be a first step in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
The study looked at over 650 people and followed their progress for a period of eight years. Those that scored in the warning zone on the evaluation had a much higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s during that observation period than those that did not score in the warning zone. It provided doctors with more time to begin treatment than a typical diagnosis path would have allowed.
The best part of the test? It’s self-administered. Although some self-administered tests raise questions or reliability, the researchers behind this have designed it in a way to help negate this issue. Not only is it reliable, it can help to identify Alzheimer’s earlier than the most commonly used office-administered tests that are currently out there. Early detection of Alzheimer’s is important; the sooner the disease is diagnosed, the more effective treatments can be. Also, if treatments do begin early, research indicates that a higher quality of life can be maintained for a longer period of time.
The research was conducted by a team from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. They recently published their results in the medical journal, Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. It doesn’t provide a cure for this devastating disease, but it does potentially provide those suffering from it a higher quality of life for a long period of time. Hopefully, this is not the last step forward when it comes to advancements in the fight against this disease.
Helping a loved one that is suffering from Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia can be a trial. Not only is it physically exhausting to care for an older loved one, it’s mentally difficult. Seeing someone that you love decline over time because of a cognitive disease is not easy. It’s not easy for them to go through, and it’s certainly not easy for the people that love them. No one wants to see someone that they care about suffering like this. It takes a very real emotional toll on everyone involved.
If you have questions about care for those with Alzheimer’s, or memory care in general, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for help. This might mean contacting a loved one’s doctor, a care service (like ours), or another professional in this field. No one can navigate the world of memory care all alone, and no one should feel like they need to. There are a lot of services out there designed to help make your life easier and provide a high quality of assistance for those that you love.
If you’re in the Bay Area, we’d love to be one of those resources for you. Our team of professionals is trained in memory care and helping those with Alzheimer’s live comfortably and safely. Give us a call today to learn more about what we do.
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