In only ten minutes time, a mini-mental exam screens seniors for signs of dementia. Referred to in the medical community simply as a “mini-mental”, the official name is the Mini-mental State Exam and it is copyrighted by Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR). Geriatric care doctors will give this exam to their senior clients to keep ahead of any signs of memory loss.
The mini-mental test asks questions about the time and place of the test, and incorporates math and language skills to test cognitive and memory abilities. It asks questions like how many nickels are in $1.25 and if you can spell a certain word backwards.
Many times memory loss in seniors can be connected with an illness or with medications. If properly addressed, senior memory loss can be slowed or reversed. Because of age-related diseases, seniors are more at risk for memory loss and should be sure their medical doctor is conducting a mini-mental at their annual check-ups.
If you are a caregiver for a senior, you can also find a variety of memory exercises at the Alzheimer’s Store.
One of my Aunts suffered a stroke a few years ago and after being air-lifted to a metropolitan hospital, she received excellent care and made nearly a full recovery. Now she enjoys telling how in the days following the stroke, the doctor would check on her each day and ask her if she knew who the president of the United States was. Each day, she would answer “George Bush”. Finally, she told him he needed to ask her something new. He then asked her if she knew what the Gettysburg Address was, and…………she began reciting it. She had memorized it in grade school. He told her she indeed knew it better than he did!
