KEEP forgetting where you've left the keys....or the car for that matter? It really might not mean you have Alzheimer's or another form of cognitive decline.
A new report has shown that the growing awareness of dementia is leading some older people to sell themselves short by believing their mental health is declining when it isn't; and some are choosing to self-limit their behaviour when there is no need to.
The research was conducted by advocacy group National Seniors but research director John McCallum warns that the same study showed that cognition in some older people could deteriorate without them noticing it.
It also showed there was an upside to having adult family staying home longer - older people with dependents in the household scored better with cognitive tests while people with less education and applied financial literacy scored worse.
Professor McCallum said the findings were among the key outcomes of National Seniors' report titled Better ways of assessing cognitive health.
He said the importance of normal cognitive function to decision making in later life had prompted the organisation to under take the study.
"Cognition can deteriorate without people being aware of it," he said. "People have to make important decision about their finances as they age, and these decisions can have a major impact on their quality of life, where they live, even their health.
"So it's important we understand the attitudes of older people to cognitive screening and the impact of cognitive health on financial decision making among Australians aged over 55.
Professor McCallum said it took on average about three years from when symptoms of cognitive decline first appeared to disease diagnosis; but during this period people could be making important decisions that impacted their personal life and their jobs.
"This is especially risky in occupations where high levels of cognitive functioning is assumed, for example among doctors; when people are managing large amounts of money; or when they are deciding on health treatments, housing or when to retire."
"We wanted to assess alternative ways of screening for cognitive function; if people would use the services if they were available and where they would prefer to have the services delivered and by whom."
Professor McCallum said that fear of consequences such as losing their drivers licence, being ostracised, or anxiety about where to go for help caused people to delay diagnosis of cognitive decline.
He said the study was divided into two stages with the first examining self-reporting levels of cognitive function and attitudes to screening, financial literacy and decision making networks and the second trialing a new online cognitive assessment - CANTAB from the University of Cambridge.
Professor McCallum said the online assessments were well received with more than half of the participants preferring this type of evaluation.
