Tips for living better with mild cognitive impairment
Setting up cues around the home can help you remember what’s important to you, UCI Health expert says
IN THE NEWS: Leaving the house with everything that you need can bring up a lot of questions for someone living with mild cognitive impairment.
UCI Health neuropsychologist Hayley Kristinsson shared tips with EverydayHealth on how to reduce confusion and improve your ability to stay organized. Kristinsson recommends setting up a memory station by your front door, which is essentially a bin that can hold your bag or purse, keys, outgoing mail and a to-do list for the day. Kristinsson explains that keeping everything that you need to come and go in one reliable place can improve daily routines.
“Too much clutter makes it difficult to focus and find important items.”
She recommends tidying up and leaving catchall baskets and bins in high-traffic areas, such as the front door or by the staircase. Using these organizational cues can make your space easier, faster and safer to navigate as you’re getting ready to leave your home.
Kristinsson is a board-certified UCI Health neuropsychologist whose clinical interests include memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive issues in aging, neuropsychological testing and neurological disorders. She’s also an assistant professor and the director of clinical training for adult neuropsychology in the Department of Neurology at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
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