Overview
At UW Health, we understand how concerning it can be when you notice forgetfulness or memory loss in yourself or a loved one.
Our memory care team provides in-depth evaluations for you. If you are diagnosed with a memory loss condition, we work with you and your family to create a care management plan.
Programs
Our doctors, nurses and social workers are experts in age-related declines in memory and cognitive function. We talk with you about what’s causing your condition and how to live well while managing your health. Our geriatric and memory loss experts provide complete assessments of your condition.
If you are concerned about memory changes in yourself or a loved one, the specialists at UW Health can help. Our memory assessment clinic sees patients over age 65. You need a doctor’s referral. We provide care for any of the following concerns:
Atypical features of dementia
Cognitive changes related to medications
Declining functional status related to cognitive issues
Memory loss, impaired problem-solving and associated behavior problems
If you are worried about the loss of independence for yourself or a relative, our specialists can help. We care for older adults with complicated health profiles such as:
Complicated medication management
Decline in self-care, including falls
Early or progressive memory difficulty
Late-life depression, anxiety, sleep issues and other psychiatric difficulties
Conditions and treatments
At UW Health, we believe there is power in having a memory loss diagnosis and discussing all care options.
We diagnose and treat a full range of memory-related conditions, including:
Alzheimer’s
Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia
Mild cognitive impairment
Mixed dementia
Lewy body dementia
Parkinson’s dementia
Vascular dementia
You can try different treatments and strategies to reduce and prevent memory loss. Talk with your doctor about the best approach for you.
Treatments include medicines and supplements and preventive measures, such as:
Brain exercise
Getting enough sleep
Healthy hearing
Nutrition
Physical activity
Socialization
Stress management
Vascular health
Research
Research is an essential process in developing and testing new medical treatments and interventions for memory disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's.
Everything we have learned about memory, memory treatments, and memory disorders is known because someone volunteered for a research study.
Two groups conduct Alzheimer’s disease research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Many UW Health physicians who care for patients are also researchers with these programs.
Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center generally has several open studies and clinical trials recruiting men and women over the age of 45 with or without memory concerns.
Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute
The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute manages the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Prevention Registry (WRAP) study, the world’s largest longitudinal research study on adults whose parents were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Meet our team
The memory care team at UW Health includes experts in dementia, memory loss and neurology.
Locations
Geriatrics services at UW Health offer memory assessments clinics in three locations around the Madison area.
Patient and family resources
Learn more about memory care:
FDA-approved medicines: There are a few medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer's disease
Supplements: Some supplements may help treat Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
When to worry: Mild forgetfulness is a normal part of aging. When should you worry? How do you know if memory changes are typical or a sign of something more serious? Get answers from the experts at UW Health
