Concerned about your memory? What to do.
If you have concerns about your memory, or are concerned about someone else's, it is important that you to consult with your family doctor. (If you do not have a family physician, please visit your local Alzheimer Society to learn more about testing, and helpful services.)
Early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia is critical in ensuring proper support, care and treatment of the illness. It is also important in allowing people with the disease and their families to make key financial and care decisions while they are still functioning at the highest possible level.
However, diagnosing dementia is a complex and difficult process. There is no single test that can tell that someone has or does not have Alzheimer's or a related disease.
Making a diagnosis of dementia takes the time and expertise of skilled practitioners, because the diagnosis can only be made after a systematic assessment that takes into account other possible causes for the symptoms (including conditions such as depression, thyroid or heart disease, infections, drug interactions or alcohol abuse).
The Alzheimer Society, based on advice given by leading dementia researchers and clinicians in Canada, does not support population based memory screening as a means to identify people who should be seen by a physician for a diagnostic evaluation.
Memory screening when implemented in community settings generally refers to the application of a simple mental status test that gives a numerical score to indicate the presence or absence of cognitive impairment.
Often these brief mental tests result in "false positives" and "false negatives." "False positives" occur when a person fails or scores poorly on a test but does not have Alzheimer's disease or another dementia. "False negatives" occur when a person scores "passes" or scores well on a test but actually does have Alzheimer's disease or another dementia.
Learn more
Position Statement on Population Based Memory Screening
Ten Warning Signs
Getting a Diagnosis
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