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Population Health Solutions for Assessing Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients
William Perry1,2, Laura Lacritz1,3, Tresa Roebuck-Spencer1,4
1National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN).
Innovation in Aging
|November 28, 2018
Summary
Screening for cognitive impairment in older adults is crucial for effective medical care and dementia prevention. Standardized, validated tools and electronic health records can improve cognitive health assessment in geriatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuropsychology
- Geriatric Medicine
- Population Health
Background:
- Cognitive impairment in geriatric patients significantly impacts acute illness management and disease progression.
- Early detection of cognitive decline is essential for timely intervention and dementia risk reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish principles for effective cognitive impairment screening in medical settings for older adults.
- To identify research gaps in assessing cognitive health in the geriatric population.
Main Methods:
- Convened an interorganizational Summit with diverse stakeholders invested in geriatric care.
- Focused discussions on 'who' and 'how' to screen for cognitive impairment in clinical environments.
Main Results:
- Developed general principles for guiding future cognitive screening approaches in medical populations.
- Highlighted the importance of patient and provider education on cognitive assessment.
- Emphasized the need for validated and culturally appropriate screening tools.
- Recognized the potential of electronic health records for cognitive screening and tracking.
Conclusions:
- Standardized and validated cognitive screening is vital for geriatric patient care.
- Future research should address identified knowledge gaps in cognitive assessment.
- Integrating electronic health records can enhance cognitive health monitoring over time.
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