"Bridges to Memory" Clinic

You walk from the kitchen to the bedroom to get something. By the time you make your way across the living room and open the bedroom door, you have already forgotten what you're looking for - at least for the moment. You forget the most important item at the grocery store . . . an appointment . . . or worse, important dates or events. We have all been there; we just forget. We wonder if we're losing our mind, or if it's too much stress, tasks, or just the plain fact that we are getting older.

A memory problem is serious when it affects your daily living. For instance, if you have trouble remembering important conversations, getting to a place you've been to often, or doing things that use steps such as following a recipe, you may have a more serious problem. Another difference between normal memory changes and dementia is that normal memory loss doesn't get much worse over time. Dementia noticeably worsens over several months to several years.

There are at least 175 medical conditions that can cause forgetfulness, ranging from aging to Alzheimer's Disease. Loss of memory is a common symptom of the aging process, as is a reduced ability to concentrate. Many people fear a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease, but many possibilities exist, including simply the normal deterioration of memory function with aging. Other possibilities include the side effects of various medications, other medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, certain brain conditions such as stroke or brain tumors, and various types of dementia.

Memory problems that aren't a normal part of aging include:

• Forgetting things much more often than you used to;
• Forgetting how to do things you've done many times before
• Trouble learning new things
• Repeating phrases or stories in the same conversation
• Trouble making choices or handling money
• Not being able to keep track of what happens each day

Bridgeway Center's Memory Clinic is dedicated to help individuals who may be experiencing memory loss... for a variety of reasons including age-related cognitive changes, head trauma or dementia. Since memory loss is typically the earliest symptom of disease it may be reassuring to have a memory assessment completed. Research indicates that the majority of people are found to be experiencing healthy, age-related decline. Establishing a baseline before impairment begins will provide a great point of comparison as a person ages. Having your memory assessed at the earliest possible time is important since mild memory loss is often amenable to effective treatment.

Individuals who typically benefit from the Memory Clinic services include:

• Individuals who are concerned that their memory loss is beyond what is expected in human aging.
• Individuals who want base line memory testing to track memory ability over time.
• Individuals with a known medical condition who require a comprehensive memory and cognitive assessment
• Individuals who may be suffering memory loss and cognitive impairment as a result of a head injury or other trauma to the brain.

The Memory Clinic is staffed by Dr. Harper and includes a thorough evaluation and treatment plan. Family members are included in the initial appointment and the consultation where Dr. Harper provides the results.

For more information or to schedule an initial appointment, please contact Donna Burns at 833-7404. We accept many forms of insurance (including Medicare) as well as private pay clients. Sorry, we do not have a sliding scale for this service.

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