Routine Testing for Memory Loss is Debated

--The Seattle Times
A debate is emerging nationally over whether older adults should be tested routinely for memory loss, as most are tested for high blood pressure and cholesterol. The issue is fueled by widespread concern among healthcare professionals, the federal government and others that Alzheimer's could become epidemic if a cure is not found and a growing belief by some that early detection may be the best hope of halting dementia.
Among the questions being raised: If such tests were routine, at what age should they be given, and where? In a doctor's office? Or is a shopping mall OK? Who gets to know the results? "People have surprisingly strong feelings about this," said Dr. Soo Borson, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at the University of Washington.
The answers aren't clear cut. While early diagnosis can help patients and families prepare, cognitive tests, a series of oral and written questions typically done in a doctor's office, can be affected by age and education as well as interpretation.
There are also concerns that early diagnosis could lead to depression, anxiety or stigma, and questions have been raised about the implications for getting a driver's license or long-term-care insurance.