Mild Cognitive Impairment
Overview
People living with mild cognitive impairment (commonly referred to as MCI) have problems with memory, language, thinking or judgement that are greater than the cognitive changes associated with normal aging. As its name implies, the problems experienced are considered mild – not as severe as the symptoms experienced by a person living with dementia.
The cognitive changes associated with MCI are usually not serious enough to interfere with a person’s daily life and independence. However, friends and the person living with MCI may notice these changes and they can be measured in tests.
Symptoms
A person with MCI can experience a wide range of cognitive symptoms, such as:
- Memory problems (for the majority of people with MCI, memory is the ability most affected),
- Impaired thinking skills,
- Language difficulties,
- Disorientation in time and space,
- Poor judgement, and
- Impaired depth perception.
MCI may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. However, some people remain stable and others may even show an improvement in cognitive abilities over time. Not everyone diagnosed with MCI goes on to develop dementia. There is no single cause or outcome for people diagnosed with MCI.
Learn more about the differences in memory between a person living with mild cognitive impairment, a person living with dementia and a person experiencing normal age-related changes in memory.
Learning the Ropes for Living with MCI™
Learning the Ropes for Living with MCITM is a program focused on optimizing cognitive health through lifestyle choices, memory training, and psychosocial support. It is aimed at older adults and their close family members/friends, who are living in the community, and are experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI refers to cognitive decline, commonly involving memory that is greater than expected for age, but does not markedly compromise independence in carrying out daily responsibilities.
Program content includes:
- Education about MCI and lifestyle factors for promoting cognitive health and reducing risk of dementia;
- Memory training involving practical strategies aimed at improving everyday remembering, such as memory for names, appointments, location of items, and things to do,
- Family support focused on discovering approaches for effectively living with a relative experiencing MCI.
Eligibility
The overreaching long term goals of this group are to prevent or delay the onset of clinical dementia in persons with mild cognitive impairment and to prevent or minimize physical and mental health decline in their close family members.
Contact your local office
Brantford: 519-759-7692
Haldimand Norfolk: 519-428-7771
Hamilton: 905-529-7030
Halton: 289-837-2310