An Introduction to Memory Clinics

When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, one of the most important things to focus on is getting a timely and accurate diagnosis. If you our someone you know are concerned about memory loss – or any other changes in abilities, behaviour, or communication – the first step is to talk to your doctor to figure out whether your concerns are related to the warning signs of dementia or another illness or condition.

If your health practitioner feels further tests and assessments are needed to screen for dementia, they may refer you and your family to a Primary Health Care Memory Clinic. These Memory Clinics are starting to appear in more rural communities across Saskatchewan to help more people receive an assessment closer to home in a day, reducing travel time, costs, and other barriers rural residents may encounter.

Primary Health Care Memory Clinics help close the gaps experienced by individuals and families seeking health care services.

What happens after I have been referred to a Primary Health Care Memory Clinic?

After your doctor or nurse practitioner has completed a referral to a Memory Clinic, the Memory Clinic may discuss the referral with your provider before contacting you with your appointment time and date.

What happens during a Memory Clinic?

Clinic assessments are conducted by a health practitioner team whose members are all trained in providing high-quality care to people who are living with dementia and other cognitive difficulties. The clinic team may consist of a doctor or nurse practitioner, home care nurse or assessor, social worker, occupational therapist, dietitian, pharmacist, and/or other health care professional(s). Essentially, the Memory Clinic team wraps their supports and services around the person receiving the assessments, and their family and other supports who are present.

During each Memory Clinic, members from the clinic team will meet with the person who is suspected of having dementia, as well as family members and other caregivers who are attending the clinic.

An Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan First Link Coordinator is integrated into every Primary Health Care Memory Clinic, whether it’s during the clinic, itself, or for follow-up after the clinic.  

“First Link Coordinators advocate for our patients and their family members through a safe space  to explore their diagnosis and prognosis without excessive medical jargon.” 

- Austin Little BMSc, MD, CCFP, member of the Southwest Mint Memory Clinic Team

An Alzheimer Society First Link Coordinator meets with Memory Clinic clients and their families for added support during a Memory Clinic and/or ongoing follow-up. First Link Coordinators help assess things like psychological health and caregiver stress experienced by the family member(s) or care partner(s).

“Our goal is to help people living with dementia and their caregivers maintain their well-being and community living for as long as possible. Memory Clinics let us inform clients and their families what the Alzheimer Society can do for them now and in the future.” 

- Lori Tulloch, First Link Coordinator, Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan

Memory Clinics serve as an opportunity to connect with health care practitioners you may already know around your community and to meet the people who will be supporting you close to home.

Primary Health Care Memory Clinics are currently offered in North Battleford, Radville, Regina, Weyburn, Swift Current, Prince Albert, Kipling, Bengough, Carlyle, Lampman, and Esterhazy. Clinic offerings vary in frequency and availability by each community.

Esterhazy is the most recent clinic location established and it was developed in part with the Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan project. You can watch a video about the new Esterhazy Memory Clinic and RaDAR here.

Additional Considerations

While Primary Health Care Memory Clinics seek to expand their models to target more communities and diverse populations, primary health care teams work to build local capacity to support people living with dementia and their care partners.

Primary Health Care Memory Clinics are currently offered in Saskatchewan through the Rural Dementia Action Research (RaDAR) team at the University of Saskatchewan, and through teams based in various regions of the province who are trained in the Multi-specialty INterprofessional Teams (MINT) dementia care model.

The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan has supported some of the research and collaboration that went into developing Primary Health Care Memory Clinics.

Determining which type of Memory Clinic is right for you and your family member(s) depends on what is available and what your physician is comfortable referring you to. More complex cases may be referred to a specialty diagnosis clinic or other specialist(s) for more appropriate support if it is deemed necessary. For reference, only 10% of patients who attend MINT Memory Clinics are referred on to specialists.

“Our hope is that we can continue to expand these clinics to other areas of the province... and that everyone, whether they’re rural or urban, would have access to team-based, primary care for dementia.”

- Dr. Debra Morgan, Professor and Chair of Rural Health Delivery at the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agriculture Health, University of Saskatchewan, and lead of the Rural Dementia Action Research (RaDAR) team