Dementia Screening Within Assisted Living

There is a new method of self screening for dementia. This test can be conducted within the home, so it is only reasonable that this tool be used within assisted living facilities as well. If dementia is detected early enough, there are some things that can be done in order to slow down its progression. There is no cure for dementia or Alzheimer's disease at the moment, but that doesn't mean that a patient's standard of living cannot be improved with therapy and professional guidance.

The self test is performed on the computer, and is extremely easy to conduct-even for people that are not technologically savvy. Still, this test can be more easily conducted if there is supervision. Many elderly folk are unsure or not confident when it comes to computer usage. This makes having this test supervised within the assisted living setting even better for the people being tested. They are more likely to have an accurate portrait of their mental health illustrated.

The test revolves around the clock and telling time. Test subjects are asked to draw the hands upon a clock with a mouse or computer stylus. Upon completion of the test, results are sent to an analytical clinician and 13 different traits are assessed. The results can be determined quickly after completion. This allows for a patient to receive help as quickly as possible.

In practice, people with early stage dementia are more likely to make mistakes when drawing and completing their clock illustrations. They are likely to have incorrect or missing hands, and they are also apt to put extra numbers on the clock, or write in the numbers outside the clock. As simple as this test seems, it is a fairly accurate way to assess someone's mental fitness.

If this test were to become a common practice within the assisted living industry, the mental health of residents would be more readily known, and this would only have a positive outcome. The sooner people's dementia problems are discovered, the sooner treatment can begin for them. This is obviously superior to having problems go undetected until treatment will become pointless. Assisted living facilities will also benefit from having these tests conducted in house since they will more accurately be able to monitor their residents and provide the appropriate services. Knowing that a patient is beginning to lose their mental faculties is a good way to stay proactive with the amount of care being provided.

There is, again, no cure known for dementia and if left untreated, it will quickly unravel someone's life. With earlier detection, the patient's life can be more efficiently managed and they will have a higher quality of life for longer periods of time.