Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and Bluestone Physician Services to Provide Free Memory Screenings at Minnesota State Fair
NEW YORK (August 16, 2018)—The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) and Bluestone Physician Services announced that they will be offering complimentary memory screenings at this year’s Minnesota State Fair.
AFA and Bluestone invite all to join them at the Fair and undergo a memory screening, which takes place from August 23 – September 3, 2018 at Bluestone’s booth (No. 4) in the Health Fair
11 building (which is attached to the food building) and located on the corner of Danpatch and Cooper Streets in St. Paul, MN.
“We are looking forward to providing memory screenings this summer once again at the Minnesota State Fair,” said Charles Fuschillo, Jr., President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “Last year, we screened more than 4,000 people at the Fair. We hope that even more people take advantage of the program this year, because taking care of your brain is just as important as taking care of the rest of your body. We are grateful to Bluestone and the Minnesota State Fair for their continued dedication and commitment to working with us to provide this free health service.”
Todd Stivland, MD, CEO of Bluestone Physician Services said, “The Minnesota State Fair is a great way to reach a large number of people. Two million people from all walks of life attend the fair each year. Last year we were able to administer free memory screening tests to 4,000 people, but just as important, we provided information and education to approximately 20,000 people! Bluestone is very proud to volunteer our collective expertise of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nursing and support staff to such a valuable cause. We are looking forward with excitement to this year’s Great Minnesota Get Together!”
Screenings consist of a series of questions and tasks designed to gauge memory, analytical, and language skills and take only five to 10 minutes. While the results are not a diagnosis of any particular condition, a screening can suggest whether someone should follow up with a physician for a more formal evaluation.
There are a number of reasons that someone could be experiencing memory issues, including treatable conditions such as vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues, depression, and even a lack of sleep. If a memory problem does exist and turns out to be something more serious, such as Alzheimer’s disease, early detection can afford the person an opportunity to take an active role in developing their care plan.
For more information on the Minnesota State Fair, visit www.mnstatefair.org. Please visit the AFA/Bluestone booth (No. 4) at the Fair to obtain a free memory screening.
AFA believes that people should take a proactive approach to brain health and address memory concerns as early as possible. More than 4 million people to-date have been screened since the program’s inception. AFA’s National Memory Screening Program is made possible in part by a grant from the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation.
For more information on the National Memory Screening Program, or to find more screening sites, please visit www.alzfdn.org or call AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline at 866-232-8484.
