Should All Older Adults Be Screened For Alzheimer's?

An influential group of U.S. doctors recently recommended that all people over the age of 65 be screened for Alzheimer's disease, even though the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force purports that evidence is lacking to either support or oppose this suggestion.

The doctors cite the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer's disease as sufficient evidence for routine screening. An estimated 5 million people in the United States are now living with Alzheimer's; by the year 2030, the number of individuals with Alzheimer's disease could approach 8 million.

As I explained in an earlier blog, screening is useful when early symptoms of Alzheimer's are present, but screening is not a substitute for diagnosis. Too often, people undergo unregulated screenings by volunteers at public events such as health fairs and run the risk of receiving misleading results.

Only qualified physicians that conduct competent, thorough diagnostic workups can evaluate whether a person has Alzheimer's. To learn more about what kinds of doctors are "qualified," as well as what other kinds of professionals can provide ancillary services for families facing Alzheimer's, take a look at Who Do I See? It defines different kinds of professionals so you can choose the one that best meets your needs.

Photo © National Institutes of Health