The journey of individuals with memory disorders through the pharmacy to the outpatient specialist or From theory to practice
Abstract
With an increasing proportion of the aging population, older people with memory disorders are increasing. Early and correct diagnosis of the causes of these problems can lead to the initiation of effective therapy, alleviation of disease progression and thus improve the quality of life of the patient and his surroundings.
The aim of the pharmacy memory examination project is the early detection of patients with suspected cognitive impairment, ideally in the stage of mild cognitive impairment, but also in the more advanced stages of dementia. Through this activity, pharmacists, as health professionals, significantly expand the availability of preventive examinations using the original Czech ALBA and PICNIR tests, and in addition play a significant role in the education and awareness of society.
The article loosely follows the text published in the 4th issue of this periodical in 2020, which devoted itself to a theoretical introduction to this issue and introduced the basic tools of memory examination in a pharmacy. This time it provides a specific description of the procedure for screening cognitive disorders in a pharmacy based on real pharmacy practice and is supplemented by 2 case studies devoted to this type of professional care provided by certified pharmacists in the Czech Republic.