Dementia is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, yet its early signs often go unnoticed or misunderstood. With advancements in healthcare, early detection of dementia has become more accessible through comprehensive assessments. Dementia assessments are proactive measures that can significantly enhance your quality of life. This blog shows five ways these assessments can make a difference.
1. Early Detection Leads to Early Intervention
One of the most critical benefits of dementia assessments is the ability to identify cognitive decline in its earliest stages. Many people dismiss memory lapses, confusion, or changes in behaviour as normal parts of aging, but these could be early warning signs of dementia-related conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
By undergoing a dementia assessment, you gain clarity about what’s happening in your brain. Early detection empowers you to take steps to slow the progression of dementia through medications, lifestyle changes, and therapy. Studies show that early intervention can preserve cognitive function for longer, giving you the ability to enjoy life with minimal disruptions.
With a diagnosis, you and your healthcare provider can develop a personalised care plan, allowing you to take positive steps to plan for care.
2. Provides Peace of Mind for You and Your Loved Ones
Uncertainty about your health can be incredibly stressful. If you’ve been noticing memory issues or other cognitive changes, it’s easy to imagine the worst-case scenario. This anxiety can take a toll on your well-being.
A dementia assessment provides clarity, whether dementia is the cause of your symptoms or if there is another cause. In many cases, assessments reveal other reversible conditions, such as vitamin deficiencies, stress, or depression, which may mimic dementia symptoms.
If the assessment confirms dementia, knowing what you’re dealing with can help you and your loved ones make informed decisions. This sense of control and preparedness can reduce stress and improve your mental health.
3. Opens the Door to Support and Resources
A dementia assessment is the beginning of a journey toward better support and care. Early detection leads to connection with a network of resources, including healthcare providers, support groups, and specialised programs.
Support networks can help you navigate the complexities of dementia care, providing everything from emotional support to practical advice on managing day-to-day challenges. For example, occupational therapists can teach strategies to enhance independence, while counsellors can offer coping mechanisms to deal with emotional changes.
With access to these resources, you can build a strong foundation to maintain your independence and well-being for as long as possible. Having a robust support system also eases the burden on your family, allowing them to provide better care without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Helps You Plan for the Future
While dementia can be a daunting diagnosis, an assessment gives you the opportunity to plan while you’re still able to make decisions. This planning can include financial arrangements, legal documents, and advanced care directives that outline your wishes for medical care and living arrangements.
Having these plans in place ensures your preferences are respected and gives guidance and clarity to your loved ones during challenging times. It also allows you to focus on living your life fully in the present, knowing that the future is under control.
5. Empowers You to Take Control of Your Brain Health
Dementia assessments also provide a snapshot of your cognitive health, highlighting areas that can be improved or maintained. For example, an assessment may reveal mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that doesn’t yet interfere with daily life but could progress to dementia without intervention.
With this knowledge, you can take steps to improve your brain health. Healthcare providers often recommend strategies such as:
- Healthy Eating: Following a Mediterranean or brain-friendly diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
- Physical Activity: Engaging in regular exercise, which promotes blood flow to the brain and reduces the risk of cognitive decline.
- Mental Stimulation: Practicing brain exercises, like puzzles, games, or learning new skills, to keep your mind sharp.
- Social Engagement: Building and maintaining strong social connections to support emotional and cognitive health.
By incorporating these changes into your routine, you can actively work to preserve your cognitive function and overall quality of life.
Take the First Step Today
Dementia assessments are a vital tool for enhancing your well-being. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms or simply want to be proactive, an assessment can provide invaluable insights and guide you toward the best possible care.
If you or a loved one have concerns about memory, behaviour, or cognitive changes, a dementia assessment can provide reassurance and clarity. Early detection is the key to making informed decisions and living life to the fullest. Book a dementia assessment today and take the first step toward a healthier future.
What Happens During a Dementia Assessment?
Echelon Health have developed the gold standard in detecting your risk of developing dementia.
Our Dementia Assessment offers clarity and accuracy in detecting the earliest signs of the disease, looking underneath the surface to unearth underlying causes of cognitive decline, for effective management and potential treatment.
The Dementia Assessment includes the following:
1. Clients would undergo in-depth blood tests for those risk factors which have been implicated in the development of cognitive impairment. These include haematology, renal and liver function, tests for diabetes, cholesterol and its sub-types, thyroid gland function, levels of vitamin D, B12 and folic acid as well as markers of inflammation.
2. Clients will undergo an advanced 3T MRI brain scan to provide incredibly detailed views of the brain. This scan will be reported by the lead neuroradiologist at Queens Square (National Hospital for Neurology).
3. The client will undergo an in-depth cognitive and formal neuropsychological assessment by a consultant specialist in cognitive decline.
The memory assessment involves a detailed history and a neurocognitive test called the Addenbrookes cognitive assessment (ACE-III). This is a sensitive test used to assess memory disorders and a gold standard for established memory clinics. The assessment can be delivered online but facilities are available for a face to face session, particularly where a neurological examination is felt to be helpful. The ACE-III is sensitive to the early stages of dementia and is composed of tests of attention, memory, language, visual and spatial skills of the brain’. This test has a sensitivity score of up to 97%.
The mental functions tested include:
· General intellect.
· Reading/reading comprehension.
· Language usage and understanding of what others say.
· Attention/concentration.
· Processing speed.
· Learning and memory.
· Reasoning.
· Executive functions, which are higher-level skills you use to organise and plan, manage your time, problem-solve, multi-task, make judgments and maintain self-control.
· Visuospatial skills.
· Motor speed and dexterity.
· Mood and personality.
4. Nuclear Medicine CT-PET Scan:
If our specialist observes any concerning signs, a nuclear medicine CT-PET scan targeting amyloid may be recommended. This advanced imaging test can identify amyloid deposits in the brain, a key characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, providing additional diagnostic information.
5. Bespoke Support:
Following the assessment, clients receive personalised counselling on the most recent treatments for dementia, including newly approved drugs that target amyloid proteins.
For a confidential conversation with our Head of Private Clients, contact our team today. We will always be delighted to help give you more information and answer any questions you may have.
Listen to the Wealth of Health podcast episode on Dementia, on YouTube or Spotify now.
Did you enjoy this blog? If so, we think you’d enjoy the Wealth of Health podcast. Find us on YouTube and Spotify
Sources:
https://111.wales.nhs.uk/livewell/dementia/benefits/
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/diagnosis/why-get-checked
