What is mild cognitive impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of memory loss or loss in cognitive abilities including language, visual or spatial perception, attention, executive control, and decision making.¹ Someone with MCI typically falls between the cognitive changes seen in ageing and early dementia and will have more memory or thinking problems than other people their age. The memory problems seen in MCI are less severe than Alzheimer’s or dementia and someone diagnosed with MCI will often be able to carry out their normal day to day activities and take care of themselves. 

The good news is that there are things you can do to help slow cognitive decline and preserve brain function. This can include good diet, exercise and socialisation as well as technologies being available to help in day to day life and preserve mental function. 

This article will dig into the different technologies out there that might be able to help someone with mild cognitive impairment organise their day to day life, maintain their independence, and perhaps even improve their symptoms. 

Diagnosis and treatment for mild cognitive impairment

Diagnosis

Diagnosing MCI often starts with an appointment with your general practitioner (GP) who will look at your medical history and perform assessments such as the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and neuroimaging if needed to rule out other conditions. If any issues are identified, the GP will refer you to a local memory service for a specialist assessment. Routine blood tests will also be done to check for any treatable causes of any mild cognitive impairment such as any physical health problems that could be contributing to memory decline. 

A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment will usually be given if the individual’s memory and cognitive performance are deemed to be below that expected for someone’s age, but is not affecting their ability to carry out day to day activities.

Treatment 

There are currently no medications available for people with MCI to help improve memory or reduce the risk of developing dementia. Symptoms might improve if any underlying conditions that are contributing are treated. Some treatable causes of MCI include poor sleep, mental health conditions, hearing loss, diabetes, high blood pressure and being overweight. 

Following a diagnosis of MCI, symptoms will be monitored through regular check ups and you might be referred back to the specialist memory services if things get worse. 

Early diagnosis as well as lifestyle interventions such as eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting enough exercise, and mental stimulation as well as managing any underlying health conditions are key ways to reduce the risk of MCI getting worse or progressing into dementia and improve memory and cognitive ability. 

Types of Technological Aids and Tools

Memory Aids

There are a variety of technologies out there that can help you in your day to day life and aid your memory in the context of mild cognitive impairment. Examples include:

• Digital calendars and reminders
• Smartphones and tablets
• Wearable devices including smartwatches

Using digital calendars and reminders can help with remembering tasks through recurring reminders. For example, a recurring reminder could be set up every morning and evening at specific times to remind the user that it is time to brush their teeth. These could also be particularly useful when used as calendars with reminders of appointments, meetings and daily tasks that might be forgotten without prompting. 

With the majority of the population being smartphone users, this technology could be taken advantage of in order to make daily life smoother. For example, apps can be used to take notes and write down reminders. With everything being in one place, it is harder to lose and misplace for someone with mild cognitive impairment. However, the caveat to this type of technology is that the user must already be familiar with smartphones, as MCI may make it harder to learn how to use new technologies. 

Wearable devices such as smart watches could also be used for notifications and reminders, with the advantage of this device being that it is harder to misplace as it is kept on your person throughout the day, as well as notifications being more accessible at a glance. 

Cognitive Training Tools

There are a variety of apps out there designed to help with mild cognitive impairment. People living with MCI could find puzzles and memory games particularly helpful. When used in an app form, it could be more affordable and accessible as opposed to physical puzzles which may be more expensive. Free brain training apps and websites include:

• Peak
• Brainwell
• Braingle 
• Mindmate
• Word Wit

Assistive Technologies

Assistive technologies including voice activated assistants such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant could be useful tools for someone with mild cognitive impairment to have an easy and conversational way to set reminders and ask questions. Such assistive technologies could also be used to control and set up schedules for smart home devices and allow an easier way to control home heating, lighting systems, smart door locks, kitchen appliances and other smart home devices.

GPS and navigation devices could be very useful tools to ensure the safety of someone with MCI. Smartphones with GPS, or dedicated GPS devices such as satnavs are helpful ways to get around and reduce the risk of getting lost, as MCI often reduces navigational abilities.² Additionally, GPS tracking devices could be useful for family members of the person with mild cognitive impairment to track their location, find them if they get lost or wander off, and overall keep track of their whereabouts. 

Health Monitoring Tools

Someone with MCI may have difficulty managing their medication. There are a variety of medication management apps out there that feature medication tracking and dosage reminders to ensure someone with MCI does not face the risks of missing medication doses, or taking too much medication. For example, Medisafe and MyTherapy are free apps that are useful for reminders and tracking and dosage of medications. 

Additionally, using wearable technologies such as smartwatches can aid with activity monitoring and heart rate tracking to keep a better tab on health metrics.

Benefits of technological aids for mild cognitive impairment

There are many benefits of using technological aids for individuals with MCI. These include:

• Improved independence
  • Technological aids can help enhance someone’s ability to manage daily tasks
• Enhanced safety
  • Provides monitoring and emergency assistance
• Better health management
  • Assists in adhering to medication and health routines
• Cognitive stimulation
  • Engages the brain and potentially slows cognitive decline

Considerations for choosing technological aids

There are many factors that should be considered when choosing which technological aids best suit someone’s needs. These include:

• Ease of Use
  • User-friendly and intuitive interfaces are the most ideal for someone with MCI who may have difficulty learning to use new technologies.
• Accessibility
  • Features such as voice control, large fonts are key for someone with MCI who typically would be older and require various accessibility features. 
• Affordability
  • Cost is always a consideration as well as what support would be available with each technological aid.
• Compatibility
  • Ideally any new technological aids would be able to be easily integrated with the user’s existing devices and systems for ease of use. 

Challenges and Limitations

• Technological Literacy
  • There is a need for initial training and ongoing support, which is a key consideration for someone with MCI depending on their existing level of technological  literacy and how quickly they are able to pick up new technologies and systems. 
• Privacy Concerns
  • Data security and personal information protection should be considered to safeguard the user’s data and information.
• Reliability and Maintenance
  • Dependence on technology and potential technical issues should also be given thought.

Summary

Technological aids provide significant potential for improving quality of life and symptoms for people living with mild cognitive impairment. They can provide support for daily activities, memory and cognitive function and allow users to benefit from increased independence and safety. 

Successful use of these technologies requires careful consideration of user friendly, accessible and affordable options to ensure they suit the needs and technological literacy levels of the individual. As innovation and research into new technologies continues, more advanced and effective tools will be developed to offer better management of MCI as well as hope and improved wellbeing for those living with the condition. 

FAQs

How can I improve my mild cognitive impairment?

Improving MCI involves focusing on a variety of areas including lifestyle changes and cognitive health management. Ensuring regular physical exercise is part of your routine is key to enhancing your brain function and overall health. 

Cognitive training activities are equally as important which could include things such as memory games and puzzles, learning new skills as well as regular socialisation to stay mentally active and stimulate brain activity. 

Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is essential to support brain health. Research has also shown that vitamin D may have a protective effect against cognitive decline, so ensuring enough vitamin D through sunlight, diet or supplements is important.³

Any underlying cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes should be controlled to reduce the risk for mild cognitive impairment progressing.⁴

How long before mild cognitive impairment turns into dementia?

Around one in every seven people diagnosed with MCI will develop dementia over the next 12 months, however, about half of the people diagnosed with MCI will have dementia after five years. If left untreated through lifestyle interventions, MCI can progress to dementia. However, not all MCI will become dementia and your risk can be reduced through treating underlying health conditions that could be contributing to MCI, ensuring a good diet and exercise regimen, as well as keeping your brain active through regular socialisation and mental stimulation.