Developing dementia or cognitive impairment is not like catching a cold... patients don't suddenly develop symptoms, in most cases.
So it helps medical pros and researchers when they can track changes in behaviors that can indicate changes in the brain.
Adriana Seelye at the aging and Alzheimer's center at Oregon Health & Science University has a plan for tracking those changes through the monitoring of simple household tasks.
And she's got a grant from the Alzheimer's Association to turn the plan into a real treatment tool.
Dr. Seelye, a neuropsychologist, talks about her vision.