Researchers create dementia screening tool

A new dementia screening tool has been created that could prove invaluable in detecting the degenerative condition early.

Researchers at Georgia Tech in the US used the common paper-and-pencil Clock Drawing Test to come up with new software that can be used on tablet computers.

In the traditional test, patients are asked to draw a clock featuring a specific time on paper. Because people with dementia often miss numbers off or put them outside the clock face, their drawings can be used by doctors to assess whether or not they have the first signs of the disease.

Lead author of the new study's report Ellen Yi-Luen said her team transferred this test into a timed electronic version which could be used on a mobile device at a patient's home to reduce unnecessary trips to clinics.

If older people are electronically tested regularly in the same way they would be for things like blood pressure, the stored e-versions of their tests could also be used to show if they are deteriorating over time.

NHS statistics show there are currently 570,000 people living with dementia in England alone, but this figure could double by 2042.

Find out about dementia care and support services at Barchester care homes.