Do you or an older loved one suffer from confusion, anxiety or depression? Are you worried about recent memory problems? Are frequent mood swings or irritability alienating you from family and friends? Has it become more difficult to deal with the normal tasks of daily living?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you owe it to yourself to get help. Your doctor can refer you to the new Neurobehavioral Assessment Service Program at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

"Sometimes people are reluctant to be evaluated because they are scared of what the diagnosis might be," says Bonnie Christensen, Program Administrator. "But it's better to know the reason for the disorder because often it's something that can be treated."

An interdisciplinary diagnostic team composed of a psychiatrist and other medical specialists conducts a comprehensive evaluation of new patients. This can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis in the hospital's Life Management Center.

"We analyze symptoms and behaviors that could affect cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning -- medications, nutrition and physical health," says Christensen. Afterwards, you and your doctor receive a comprehensive diagnostic summary that explains the cause of the disorder and gives recommendations for care.

"For example, some medical conditions and drug interactions can cause depression, memory loss or confusion," she says. "It isn't always Alzheimer's disease."

Christensen adds that identifying and treating these conditions early provides patients with the best opportunity to improve their quality of life and maintain their independence.

Bonnie Christensen Administrator, Life Management Center

Memory loss and confusion
Although there may be change in older adults' reaction time, attention to tasks and the time needed to process information, the majority of cognitive functioning remains intact and is adequate for normal activities or daily functioning.

"If you sometimes forget names, where you put your keys or why you walked into the kitchen, you're probably OK," says Christensen. "It's when you can no longer recognize what is done in a kitchen that there's a problem." She explains that a memory problem should be regarded as serious when it affects a person's daily living. Another difference is that normal memory problems don't usually get much worse over time. However, dementia gets much worse over several months to several years.

There are many disorders that can cause dementia; Alzheimer's disease is the most common. Only 10 percent of people over age 65 have Alzheimer's disease, but this number increases to nearly 50 percent of people older than 85.

The following memory problems should be evaluated:

• Forgetting how to do things you've done many times before
• Trouble getting to a place you've been to often
• Trouble learning new things
• Repeating things in the same conversation
• Trouble making choices or handling money
• Trouble doing things in a sequence, such as following a recipe

Depression
Depression in the elderly is nearly epidemic and often overlooked because symptoms -- including fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping -- often are considered a normal part of aging or symptoms of another medical condition.

It is often triggered by the death of a loved one, poverty, relocation, social isolation, chronic pain or loss of function. The following are some symptoms of depression:

• Lack of interest in favorite activities.
• Loss of appetite or significant, sudden weight loss.
• Change in sleep patterns.
• Hopeless statements such as, "I wish I wouldn't wake up tomorrow."
• Giving away cherished possessions.
• Making final plans.

The Life Management Center includes a 17-bed geriatric unit that provides a warm, supportive environment. For those individuals who require a higher level of care, a 24-hour intake line is available seven days a week. The number is 941-725-0822.

For more information, call 941-746-5111, Ext. 7583.