By: Richard L. Smith
A new report from Rutgers University is drawing attention to cognitive health among Newark’s senior population after researchers found a significant number of older adults screened through a Newark-based initiative showed signs of memory decline and dementia.
According to reporting by Kathleen O’Brien of Rutgers University News, researchers with Rutgers University’s Aging & Brain Health Alliance screened 160 African American seniors during the first six months of a Newark memory screening initiative.
The findings surprised researchers and stresses the importance of early detection and expanded access to cognitive health services.
The study found that approximately two-thirds of those screened showed greater memory decline than would normally be expected with aging.
Nearly half of those individuals displayed signs consistent with mild, moderate, or severe dementia.
Researchers also encountered seniors who believed the year was decades earlier, illustrating the profound impact cognitive decline can have on an individual’s daily life. 
The findings have prompted Rutgers to expand its efforts to identify dementia earlier and connect older adults and their families with critical support services.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dementia is not a specific disease but a general term used to describe impaired memory, thinking, and decision-making severe enough to interfere with everyday activities.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. While advancing age is the greatest known risk factor, I’ve found that the CDC emphasized that dementia is not a normal part of aging.
Risk factors may include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, smoking, physical inactivity, social isolation, and untreated hearing loss.
Research has also shown that older African Americans experience dementia at higher rates than White Americans. Health experts continue studying the reasons behind these disparities, pointing to a combination of health conditions, access to healthcare, education, and other social and economic factors that may contribute to increased risk.
For many lifelong Newark residents, the Rutgers findings strike a personal chord.
Having been born and raised in Newark, I’ve watched many of the seniors who were once my neighbors, and many of my mother’s friends, grow older over the years. Today, more families seem to be facing the difficult reality of dementia.
It raises an important question that deserves continued research and community discussion: Where is this coming from, and what more can be done to help protect future generations?
Health experts encourage older adults and their families to speak with healthcare providers if they notice changes in memory, thinking, or behavior, as early intervention may help improve quality of life.
This story was adapted from reporting by Kathleen O’Brien for Rutgers University News, with additional health information provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).