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Spotting the Slide Into Dementia. Or Not.
Mild cognitive impairment precedes dementia but is rarely diagnosed
My dad told me the same news at the start of every conversation for months. “I’m afraid I have some bad news. I have something called mild cognitive impairment.” The diagnosis gave us a name for the problems he and the family had observed and helped us initiate difficult but necessary conversations.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) does not always lead to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, but it is always present in those who eventually develop Alzheimer’s, as my dad did.
It’s a wonder he learned he had MCI before he developed dementia.
Despite Medicare’s rule requiring providers to detect cognitive impairment in the annual wellness visit, only 16% of physicians reported checking cognition regularly in an Alzheimer’s Association report. Research has also consistently demonstrated underdiagnosis of MCI.
Knowing about MCI and screening options can help older individuals and families hold informed discussions and make decisions that may be needed.
Not thinking straight
Cognition is how the brain takes information and decides what to do with it. Problems with memory, finding the…
