MCI is not a diagnosis that should be feared.
It is a term that describes a change in memory or thinking that is noticeable but not severe enough to interfere with daily life. I have seen many people at the senior centre who worry about it, and I have seen many who have it and live well.
The First Thing to Check
The first thing to check is the medicine cabinet.
I have seen many people who were told they had MCI, and it turned out to be a side effect of a medication. I have seen people who were taking a sleep aid every night for years, and their memory improved when they stopped. I have seen people who were taking an allergy tablet every day, and their thinking cleared when they switched to a different one.
I don’t say it’s the cause. Start there, because it’s the simplest thing to adjust.
What the Numbers Say
The numbers are not as frightening as you might think.
That sounds scary, but it also means that 50 percent do not.
That means that most people with MCI do not develop dementia.
Let me give you an example.
A woman came to the senior centre last year. She was 72 years old. She had been diagnosed with MCI. She was worried.
We looked at her medications. She was taking a sleep aid every night. She had been taking it for five years. We talked to her doctor. She stopped taking the sleep aid. Her memory improved.
She still has MCI. But she is not as worried as she was.
Now that you know what MCI is, go watch the full video on this. It explains what is usually behind memory slips after sixty and a way to improve it. Pull up the video before you do anything else.
The myth is that MCI always leads to dementia.
The reality is that it does not. I have seen many people with MCI who never develop dementia. I have seen people whose memory improves. I have seen people whose memory stays the same.
The myth is that there is nothing you can do.
The reality is that there are things you can do. You can check your medications. You can get your hearing checked. You can write things down. You can ask your pharmacist.
There are two options for screening: the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). I have used both in my clinical practice.
Why memory slips after sixtyBefore you change anything, watch the video on memory after sixty.
Before you close this page, open the video and watch it. It will give you a better understanding of what is going on and what you can do about it.
I keep a names notebook on my kitchen table. I write down every name I want to remember. It helps.