Looking out for early Alzheimer's symptoms: S.A.G.E. advice
If you're concerned about dementia or Alzheimer's disease, either for a family member or yourself, we're here with some sage advice. Consider the words of Thomas Jefferson: "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."
So if you put some effort into learning about early detection of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, you just might get lucky too. Early detection allows doctors to slow or even sometimes halt dementia's progress.
Our sage advice? Try the at-home screening test developed by researchers at Ohio State University called the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam, or S.A.G.E.
This simple test (Google "OSU S.A.G.E." to download) takes only 10-15 minutes to complete and was designed to detect early signs of cognitive impairment. Dr. Mike's Cleveland Clinic and its Wellness Institute use S.A.G.E. to help decide if you're a candidate for its brain wellness shared medical appointment program or need neurologic treatment from its Neurologic Institute.
Another early sign of Alzheimer's: your nose. The part of the brain that controls smell often is affected in the early stages of the disease. So if you notice that you're having trouble picking up fragrances or odors, talk to your doctor.
Whatever your age, family history or cognitive powers, remember that staying engaged and curious, socializing with family and friends, getting 10,000 steps a day or the equivalent, doing "speed of processing" games like brainHQ's Double Decision, and sticking with brain-healthy nutrition, like the DASH and Mediterranean diets, helps protect your brain.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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