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New York Methodist Hospital and Leeza's Place at Park Slope Geriatric Day Center will host free memory screenings on Monday, September 10, 2007, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at One Prospect Park West, President Street entrance, in Brooklyn. The two groups are partnering to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Because the earliest symptoms of the disease are gradual and often subtle, it is important that those over 65 be screened regularly to help differentiate possible dementia from the normal signs of aging.

The Memory Center at NYM provides diagnosis and treatment for patients with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. "The early diagnosis of Alzheimer's allows doctors to begin treatments, which may include medications that can manage the disease process and control its symptoms, as early as possible," said Thayyullathil Bharathan, M.D., director of the Memory Center and chief of the division of geriatrics at NYM.

The center offers the expertise of a multidisciplinary group of specialists, including physicians specializing in geriatrics, neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. Patients benefit from the variety of tests and services offered at the Hospital, such as CAT scans, MRIs and PET scans. "The Memory Center offers patients all forms of the necessary ancillary services available at the Hospital," said Dr. Bharathan.

Alzheimer's, which accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all dementia cases, is characterized by the degeneration of healthy brain tissue resulting in memory loss and cognitive decline. The loss of memory alone is not a sure sign of Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, but it can serve as a warning signal. Because the earliest symptoms of the disease are gradual and often subtle, it is important that those over 65 be screened regularly to help differentiate possible dementia from the normal signs of aging.

Leeza's Place at Park Slope Geriatric Day Center is a partnership between the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and Park Slope Geriatric Day Center. Celebrity personality Leeza Gibbons started the foundation to meet the growing needs of those impacted by memory disorders. Leeza's Place, the foundation's signature program, integrates educational approaches, connective social activities, emotional support, and intergenerational programming, and is dedicated to supporting the day-to-day needs of caregivers and the diagnosed.

For more information on the upcoming memory screening, please call New York Methodist Hospital's Memory Line at 718-246-8544.