FGCU introduces new technology for cognitive health screenings

Ten minutes. That’s all it takes for doctors to assess how well you remember, how quickly you learn things and how your brain is working overall.

Florida Gulf Coast University partnered with Lee Health to use new technology for cognitive health screenings.

Using new technology to be proactive with brain health.

The tech introduced by FGCU is called the Cognivu clarity device, and our community is one of the few in all of Florida to have access right now.

Dr. Thomas Felke, executive director of the Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging and FGCU associate dean for academics, said, “So we see it as being akin to an individual going and getting their annual vision screening or an individual who is testing their blood pressure over a period of time to get a good handle on what those things look like for the individual.”

Felke teamed up with Lee Health to provide community-based cognitive screening tests.

It’s not designed to diagnose Alzheimer’s or dementia but to help with the early detection of those diseases.

“I think it’s a great start. I think it’s just part of taking care of our general health, and overall health in general, and the mind is part of that health,” Felke said.

The test is 10 minutes long and involves patients sitting at the device, which has a wheel in the center.

The wheel controls a green digital frame on the screen, and the individual is taken through a series of exercises involving letters, words, shapes and patterns. They have to determine what’s correct.

Once you complete your test, Dr. Felke will go over the results with you.

There is an overall performance score. If you fall short, a social worker like Stephanie Malally can help with the next steps.

“I’ll be able to meet with the individual to kind of talk through the baseline screening, and then talk about next steps for extensive testing resources in the community,” said Malally.

Right now, the test is geared toward the older adult population, but Dr. Felke wants to utilize this screening for everyone.

Thursday’s event at Coconut Point was for one day only.

FGCU is looking for more community partners to continue scheduling the screenings.