Free mobile app to support early dementia diagnosis

Dementia Australia has launched a free mobile app, BrainTrack, that helps people to privately monitor and better understand suspected changes in their cognition over time. If they have concerns, they can then share the results with their GP and use it as a conversation starter to support an earlier dementia diagnosis.

Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM said BrainTrack helps individuals explore common cognitive concerns and provides brain health information through fun, travel-themed games that have been adapted from validated cognitive testing.

“Users are prompted to log-in monthly to play the games and within the app can easily generate a pdf report of the results that can be emailed to their GP,” McCabe said.

“While not intended to replace a formal cognitive assessment, BrainTrack supports the early identification of cognitive changes over time that may warrant further testing.”

Encouraging people to talk to their GP as soon as they have concerns may lead to an earlier diagnosis of dementia which then empowers and enables people living with dementia, their families and carers to better understand dementia and to manage their diagnosis on their terms.

“With up to half a million Australians living with dementia — which is projected to increase to 1.1 million people by 2058 — improving early diagnosis must be a priority,” McCabe said.

Dementia Australia Honorary Medical Advisor Associate Professor Michael Woodward AM, Director and Clinical Head of Aged Care Research and Director, Memory Clinic for Austin Health said the right support at the right time can enable people with dementia to maintain their independence and functional capacity for as long as possible.

“Health and allied health professionals play an important role in helping people living with dementia to live well for longer,” Woodward said.

“By assessing physical and cognitive issues they can provide interventions to support the maintenance of current strengths and capacities, improve skill acquisition and promote recovery, enablement and rehabilitation.

“The more GPs and healthcare professionals know and understand about dementia and how Dementia Australia’s support and programs, including post-diagnostic services, can wrap around their patient, the better the system and healthcare experience will be for all.”

Isabelle Burke cared for her mother, whose diagnosis experience stretched out over many years, impacting on her mother Christine’s quality of life and that of her brother and sister.

“Mum was misdiagnosed for many years and later prescribed antipsychotics which added to the issues,” Burke said.

“If we had known it was dementia, we would’ve been able to get the right support earlier for our Mum and spend her final years cherishing our time with her creating memories together. Instead by the time she was diagnosed she required full-time care and sadly, died aged just 59 in 2019.”

BrainTrack was developed with the Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute (A²I²), Deakin University and funded by the Australian Government.

BrainTrack has been awarded a research grant by the Medical Research Future Fund - Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care initiative which will evaluate its use and whether it’s associated with improvements in knowledge and help-seeking in relation to brain health.

There is also an opportunity offered on downloading BrainTrack to consider volunteering to contribute to research about the app and its impact.

Image credit: Supplied