State College resident Shih-In Ma has a sharp mind and a strong will.
As a member of the Interfaith Initiative of Center County, she devotes her time to helping people come together to focus on common ground and celebrate differences. With two different master’s degrees (one in engineering, the other in psychology), the 57 year old recognizes the value of thinking ahead.
That’s why she came to Foxdale Village’s free memory screening on Tuesday morning. Though she knows she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, she says it’s important to stay prudent and vigilant about her mental health as she ages.
“I’m curious to see if my perception of how my memory is doing matches up with an exam that’s a little bit more quantitative,” Ma says.
Meg Clouser, director of health services with Foxdale Village, says the retirement community has been participating in the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s annual Memory Screening Day initiative for two years in a row.
The screening is quick, free and confidential, with no appointment necessary. It consists of a survey that covers awareness of time, recalling facts from a short story and basic math skills. Clouser says the screening takes about ten minutes, and can be an important for step for anyone who worries their mental state may be in decline.
“This can be a lead-in for someone to see where they stand,” Clouser says. “It’s a really good opportunity for someone who isn’t sure what to do if they think they have a problem, or if they’re not sure where to get help.”
Clouser says Foxdale Village can provide a number of suggestions to help Alzheimer’s patients and their families. They have a number of publications on local resources and mental exercises, and even a public dementia support group.
Foxdale Residency Planning Associate Libby Mortensen says this screening aligns with the village’s larger goal of serving seniors from all over the State College community, not just their own residents.
“This can be scary, but having an early awareness can really help with planning for the future and getting the tools to lead a healthy life,” Clouser says.
Ma says it’s especially important that Foxdale Village is offering this service for free.
“On the surface, State College is fairly upper middle class,” Ma says. “But there’s still a fair amount of poverty here.”
Having a free screening promotes this issue and encourages more people to come out by not placing “so much hardship” on residents who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a mental screening, Ma says.
The screenings run until 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Foxdale Village on East Marlyn Avenue, just off of South Atherton Street. Clouser says Foxdale Village will continue to offer similar screenings four times a year.
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