| Winter
2004
The
winter issue of The Journal, in circulation
now, features as
its cover story, "Assessing Memory in the Primary
Care Setting."
Author
Stephen M. Scheinthal, D.O., FACN, is the Director
of Clinical Geriatric Psychiatry at the UMDNJ–School
of Osteopathic Medicine's Center for Aging and serves
as the Director of the Memory Assessment Program at
UMDNJ.
Dr. Scheinthal addresses how primary care osteopathic
physicians can use brief, easy-to-use, in-office screening
tools
to determine if an elderly patient is showing signs
of dementia, experiencing a decline in cognitive abilities,
or having difficulty
completing activities of daily living.
Dr.
Scheinthal describes each of the following screening
tools in his article. Below are links to additional
information and samples of each tool.
To
download the Mini Mental Status Exam to your PDA or
Palm organizer, click
here.
Remember,
a diagnosis should not be made based on poor
screening results. These tools should be used to help
determine
if additional follow-up by a geriatric specialist is
required.
FDA
Approves Once-daily Reminyl for Dementia
A
new, long-acting form of galantamine (currently marketed
as Reminyl) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for the treatment of mild to moderate
Alzheimer’s disease. The FDA granted approval
to Janssen Pharmaceutica for the product, which represents
a new, once-daily option for physicians, caregivers
and patients. The prescription product is expected to
be available in pharmacies
in early 2005.
To
view the full press release, click
here.
Help
Your Patients' Families Cope
Dementia
in elderly patients can create significant stress among
family members and within households. Help your patients'
families cope by encouraging them to attend
Family Caregiver Training.
The Delaware Valley chapter of the Alzheimer's Association
offers training designed to help caregivers
and family members
of those with dementia-related disorders cope with the
everyday and long-term needs of their impaired relative.
A training session will be held February 25,
2005 from
9:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.
at the UMDNJ–School of Osteopathic Medicine's
Center for Aging at at 42 E. Laurel Road in Stratford,
NJ. Training topics include:
- A
Medical Overview of Alzheimer’s Disease and
Dementia
-
Communication and Behavior
- Legal
and Financial Information
-
Daily Care and Safety Issues
For
more information or to make a reservation, call the
Alzheimer Association's South Jersey Helpline at 856-797-1212.
Ten
Tips for Communicating with Dementia Patients
Click
here for a guide to understanding dementia behaviors
and tips on communicating with dementia patients.
Dementia-related
Resources
Following
are Internet resources that physicians can recommend
to family members seeking additional information about
dementia.
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