Brief Dementia Screening Tools
To View or copy the screening tools click on the appropriate button:
The AD8 Dementia Screening Interview
The Mini-Cog
The Time and Change Test
Brief Dementia Screening Tools in the Primary Care Setting
The above three screening tools, the AD8 Dementia Screening Interview, the Mini-Cog, and The Time and Change Test were featured in a workshop conducted in the fall of 2009 at several primary care doctor's offices in the Asheville area. The workshop and a DVD version were developed by MemoryCare physician Dr. Thomas Kaluzynski and team manager Misty Haire, RN; these were made possible with the support of a grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. The DVD of the workshop demonstrating the use of the three screening tools was distributed to area Primary Care Physicans offices to assist doctors and their office staff in becoming familiar with the tools and to use them in the medical office setting. According to research and experts in the field, when a concern comes up about an older person's thinking and memory skills, it is essential to obtain from a family member or friend who is knowledgable about the individuals past and present abilities. The AD8 Screening Interview fits the bill for being a reliable and valid tool in getting such information and usually takes less then 3 minutes to complete.
When there is limited time the day's schedule of a busy primary care practice, selecting one or two of the above brief screening tools can be valuable in responding to the concerns that patients and family members have about a possible decline in their own or a loved one's cognitive abilities. An abnormal screening tool test does not always mean a diagnosis of dementia. Screening tools, combined with a narrative history of change in memory or thinking, assist clinicians in identifying individuals who need further evaluation. In cases where initial screening tests are negative and mild cognitive impairment is suspected in a highly educated or high functioning individual, referral for more detailed testing may be necessary.
MemoryCare team nurse and social worker managers are familiar with adminitering The AD8 interview, the Mini-Cog and the Time and Change Test and are available to answer questions that area clinicians and their office staff may have related to their use. Likewise, MemoryCare staff physicians, Dr. Ginna Templeton, Dr. Tom Kaluzynski, Dr. Peggy Noel and physician assitant Terry Mulligan, PA-C are available to provide more information if necessary.
