Living with purpose in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease
Keeping the brain engaged can prolong its function, says UCI Health neuropsychologist
IN THE NEWS: People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease tend to experience changes that go beyond the effects of normal aging. But changes in its earliest stages, called mild cognitive impairment, can be gradual.
Hayley B. Kristinsson, a neuropsychologist at UCI Health, recently told AARP that many in the mild stages can still function well in society and are able to do most of their day-to-day activities without too much difficulty.
“We often only talk about or see people who are in more advanced stages, where it’s quite obvious that they’re impaired, but a diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to drastically change your life immediately.”
Kristinsson stresses that good quality of life is possible after a diagnosis. Keeping the brain engaged may help prolong cognitive functioning and maintains morale.
Kristinsson is a board-certified UCI Health neuropsychologist who sees patients at the UCI Health Memory Disorders Program. Her clinical interests include memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive issues in aging, neuropsychological testing and neurological disorders. She is 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.
To make an appointment, call 714-456-7720.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,513-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, its newest facility, UCI Health — Irvine Rehabilitation Hospital, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.