 One approach that can be used to understand the risk of falls in people with memory problems is to target them in the early stages of cognitive decline. Mild Cognitive Impairment MCI is an entity that is conceived as a transitional state between benign age-related cognitive change and early dementia. Specific diagnostic criteria have been developed and validated to diagnose MCI, with the prevalence of the diagnosis being estimated at 19 among older adults, increasing to 29 in those over age 85. People with MCI have been found to have a 10 to 15 times higher risk of developing Alzheimers disease AD, as well as a higher risk of falling compared with age-matched controls. 