Cognitive Assessment for Dementia Screening

Study Notes

Short Blessed Test Overview

Cognitive assessment designed to differentiate normal cognitive function from mild, moderate, and severe deficits.
Utilized primarily as a screening tool for dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
Focuses on memory, orientation, concentration, and detecting obvious impairments.
Assessment is relatively quick and straightforward.

Administration Guidelines

Deliver test instructions precisely as written, ensuring clarity.
Present one item per second to maintain pace.
Clinician discretion on whether to provide memory encoding trials.

Introduction to the Test

Begin with a simple statement: "We are going to do some tests that look at your thinking, just answer the questions to the best of your ability."

Key Questions

Question 1: "How old are you now?"
Question 2: Prepare the subject by indicating questions will check memory and concentration; some may be easy while others harder.
Question 3: "What year is it now?" - Accepts the exact year or an acceptable numerical portion (e.g., "01" for 2001).
Question 4: "What month is it now?" - Accepts the exact month or a correct numerical answer (e.g., "12" for December).

Memory Recall Tasks

Question 5: Subject must repeat the name and address provided: "John Brown, 42 Market Street, Chicago." Repeat the information up to three times for clarity.
Question 6: "Without looking at your watch or clock, tell me what time it is?" - Correct if within one hour of the actual time.

Counting and Reversal Tasks

Question 7: "Count aloud backwards from 20 to 1." - Errors recorded if numbers are skipped or if the task is misunderstood.
Question 8: "Say the months of the year in reverse order." - Start assistance may be provided, but any prompts can incur errors.

Memory Recall Reassessment

Question 9: Subject is prompted to recall the previously given name and address verbatim; precision is crucial for scoring accuracy.

Scoring and Evaluation

Emphasize the need for correct phrasing and timing in all verbal tests.
Delays and readministration procedures are essential for accurate responses.
Incorrect responses are systematically recorded, with a maximum error threshold established for various tasks.

Description

This quiz assesses cognitive abilities to differentiate among normal and varying degrees of cognitive deficits. It serves primarily as a screening tool for dementia, with a focus on memory, orientation, and concentration. Participants will be guided through questions designed to evaluate their cognitive function.