An often misunderstood health condition, dementia can be difficult to navigate without the right resources and support. With research suggesting that up to 45% of cases may be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors, awareness of early warning signs and risk factors is especially important. An upcoming free event in Frisco will explore these topics, along with practical strategies for supporting brain health and connecting attendees with local resources.
“Dementia: Early Detection and Prevention” will be held May 28 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Summit County Community & Senior Center. The event is organized by local health care provider Elevated Community Health and the senior center, and will feature Dr. E. Seth Kramer, a board-certified family medicine physician and faculty member at the University of Colorado.
“We hear about dementia, it comes up often, but from a patient standpoint, it’s still hard to understand — what do I do with this?” Dr. Kramer said. “It’s an ever-changing field, and it’s improving in terms of how we diagnose it.”
This event will focus on dementia education and awareness, risk factors and early warning signs, information on local services, and resources for caregivers, friends and families of loved ones living with dementia, along with a live Q&A with Dr. Kramer. The event is open to the public with no registration required, and live Spanish translation will be available.
Warning Signs and Risk Factors
Early diagnosis can be key to improving outcomes, allowing individuals and families to access support, and implement beneficial lifestyle changes sooner. While occasional forgetfulness — like misplacing car keys, but being able to retrace your steps — is a normal part of aging, warning signs of dementia involve memory loss and other changes that begin to disrupt daily life. This may include difficulty completing familiar tasks, challenges managing finances or medications, trouble finding the right words, or noticeable changes in mood, personality or behavior.
“These are all a pattern of symptoms that don’t just happen, like having one hard day, but really it’s a pattern over months,” Dr. Kramer said.
If warning signs are noticed, Dr. Kramer suggests documenting them as they happen and connecting with a primary care provider. A primary care provider can not only do an initial screening, but can also identify if there are other possible causes that present similar symptoms. Medications, untreated sleep apnea, hearing loss, hyperthyroid or even B12 deficiencies can sometimes mimic cognitive changes, making a thorough medical evaluation an important first step in determining the underlying cause.
While certain risk factors such as age, genetics and family history cannot be altered, many others can be addressed. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating right, exercise and being smoke-free are all factors that may help reduce the risk or delay dementia. Quality sleep is also important for brain health and overall wellness, which can sometimes be affected by lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes.
Other ways to reduce risk include challenging the brain by learning new skills or trying new activities, as well as staying socially connected.
The Importance of Primary Care
While patients or caregivers may feel the need to go directly to a specialist after noticing warning signs, seeing a primary care physician is often the most appropriate first step.
“Primary care is actually really well poised to address many of these concerns and provide education and support around it,” said Dr. Kathleen Cowie, a family physician and medical director with Elevated Community Health. “Elevated Community Health is well poised and committed to providing those services.”
Over the last few years, Elevated Community Health has expanded its primary care offerings, especially for patients over the age of 50, Dr. Cowie said. While the health care nonprofit was initially created to serve uninsured and underinsured, it has since expanded into providing a full range of services, including primary care, pharmacy, dental and mental health, available to patients regardless of insurance status. This comprehensive model can provide critical support for those experiencing aging or memory-related changes.
“Early detection of dementia and related disorders can really help patients and their families prepare and plan for the future, and so primary care can serve as that base to come up dementia care planning: ‘What are your goals, what’s important to you, and how do we help you achieve those things?’” Dr. Cowie said.
A continued relationship with a primary care provider also allows for a more holistic approach — considering a patient’s family and support system, social network and lifestyle factors. If there are concerns about dementia, an in-office screening can provide initial insight, and the provider can help connect patients with specialty care if needed.
“Many times it takes folks up to eight months to get into some of these specialty clinics in Denver, and there’s so much that can be done in the meantime,” Dr. Cowie said.
Both Dr. Cowie and Dr. Kramer emphasized that early diagnosis is an opportunity to find support through local and statewide resources, access treatments and build a care team.
“It’s just a new chapter in life, it’s not the end,” Dr. Kramer said. “It opens the opportunity to engage with your support system, as well as your community, to make sure that things are managed well, and that you have the resources you need.”
