“It’s important to diagnose Alzheimer’s early, because it leads to a higher chance for better quality of life,” President and Co-founder of Act Now Kristine Allen said last week. Act Now is a Jersey City based non-profit organization to help the public recognize signs of Alzheimer’s, a neurological disease that affects people’s memory. “Our goal is to screen every senior over 60 in Hudson County.”
The North Bergen Housing Authority hosted a memory screening at the senior Terrace building on Columbia Avenue on Tuesday, July 12.
According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Alzheimer’s attacks the brain’s nerve cells. This causes loss of memory, thinking skills, language skills, and behavioral changes. According to Allen, the disease usually affects those over 55, but signs can appear as early as 40.
“Most people think it’s just memory loss, but it’s so much more than that.” — Kristine Allen
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The memory screening consists of a series of questions to recall items, and comprehension skills. After filling forms of medical history, seniors are asked to perform simple tasks like drawing a clock. “Numbers become an issue,” Allen explained.
“It’s not a diagnosis but an indication for memory concerns,” Allen added. If there are small memory concerns, Act Now creates care plans and gives recommendations to improve these issues.
Exercise your mind
“There are five recommendations,” Allen said, “Physical and mental stimulation, like learning a new skill or completing puzzles and crosswords, always helps improve memory. Also to improve nutrition helps. And some sort of spiritual aspect like praying or meditation, just something to de-stress.”
Act Now refers seniors to a team of doctors if there are severe signs.
“It’s also nice that some seniors brought their caregiver,” Allen said, “We need to have a conversation with the caregiver, because they tell us what’s going on at home. When someone comes in alone they don’t always tell the truth.”
While seniors waited, they completed puzzles which also improve memory, Allen said. “Sometimes we take for granted the way the brain works.”
“We are pleased to join forces with the Act Now Foundation,” Kathryn Paletta the director of social services said. “They’re going through all the North Bergen senior housing buildings along with different vendors.”
Act Now started these screenings around Hudson County in January. They’ve visited churches, senior homes, senior or adult day cares, and more.
Because of laws passed by Act Now, Alzheimer’s disease is now listed on the death certificate of those who pass. “Now we see how many people are dying from this,” Allen said, “This gives an accurate number, more money for research, and an increase in training for caretakers.”
“Most people think it’s just memory loss, but it’s so much more than that,” Allen said. “People lose the ability to swallow, walk, and speak.” Allen said those affected don’t forget how to swallow, walk, or speak, but the brain cells have died and lost connection to the brain.
“If people know the reality of it, if people saw the truth, then they’d spend more time and have a larger concern with the diagnosis,” Allen said, “That’s what I want people to know. It’s a terminal illness.”
Health vendors
Also at the screening were health vendors to provide check-ups, give information, or giveaways. A caretaker center was also available with information for seniors.
CareFinders Total Care is a West New York based company and one of the biggest providers of aides and caretakers in New Jersey. They informed seniors and caretakers at the screening about their Alzheimer’s trained aides and feet and eye specialists. They are always looking for more aides. Some aides helped their patients by talking to the landlord about rent, or talking to a telephone company when someone’s phone goes off.
Another vendor gave a free phone with captions to seniors with hearing disabilities. The phone is free to those with hearing disabilities, if they have internet access and a working phone jack.
Seniors were also able to get the veins in their lower legs checked out by the Center for Vein Restoration. This is the nation’s largest vein center. A specialist gave seniors an ultrasound on their calf to check the blood flow and size of veins to refer them to one of the doctors if there was a concern.
“It’s something to rule out,” volunteer Josephine Flanagan said. “It’s like going for a physical. At this age you need to be your own advocate. You need to follow everything up from head to toe.”
Downtown Pharmacy came from Jersey City to give free blood pressure check-ups, and inform seniors about their new blister pack that can be delivered to their home. Their blister pack is different for each patient depending on how much medicine they take per week. The pack holds the sealed medication in an easy-to-open cardboard binder. The medication is organized under the day, and morning, noon, and night sections.
“Some people have to take 15 medications in one day. With this, they don’t have to go through each bottle to open and take their medicine every day,” Pharmacist Vera Kim said. “Every month they get a new package.” The package also includes a list of the medication and what it looks like. “This prevents medical errors,” Kim said.
Samantha Meyers can be reached at samantham@hudsonreporter.com .