Learn your 'functional' age with UAE's first diagnostic machine

Dubai: The majority of the UAE population is estimated to be older in functional age compared to their chronological age, according to a senior geriatrician at the Community Centre for the Elderly in Al Mamzar.

An early diagnosis can help slow and even reverse some of the symptoms associated with ageing like loss of sensory, cognitive, motor and pulmonary (lung) functions.

The centre, under the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), claims to house the first diagnostic machine in the country that determines the gap between functional and chronological age.

The senior geriatrician urged residents as young as 45 to get their functional age tested.

Emiratis and expatriates can both avail of the free diagnostic test at the centre.

The H-scan machine measures 12 physical biomarkers, spanning four functions.

These biomarkers are sensory (highest audible pitch, visual accommodation, vibro-tactile sensitivity); cognitive (memory, auditory reaction time, visual reaction time and reaction time with decision); motor (movement time, movement time with decision, and alternate button tapping); and pulmonary (forced vital capacity and forced one-second expiratory volume).

The test takes about 45 minutes.

Speaking to Gulf News, Dr Mohammad Jameel Al Noamani, Senior Specialist Geriatrician and Head of Medical Affairs at the Centre, said that he undertook a sample study of 15 people in their mid-40s, using the machine.

“Of the cases, 95 per cent were older in functional age,” he said.

The reasons for the older functional age he said are varied, and include diseases like diabetes and hypertension along with unhealthy lifestyle patterns. Going by the current incidence of lifestyle diseases coupled with a more sedentary lifestyle in the UAE, he estimates that most people will have an older functional age.

In light of this, he stressed the benefit of healthy ageing. “Once we diagnose a loss in function at an earlier stage, we can recommend clinical interventions like cognitive therapies or lifestyle modification. There is little specialists can do if a person comes for treatment at the age of 60,” he said.

Depending on the results, we can tailor programmes to slow the ageing process and maximise functioning, he added.

In a media statement, Jasem Mohammad Kalban, Acting Director of the Centre, said that a day-care outpatient programme has also been introduced. “The aim of this service is to encourage the elderly who do not require in-patient services to get themselves checked regularly so that they can reduce or even prevent the complications associated with ageing.”

The centre has 30 in-patients and 50 out-patients.