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How Well Are You Thinking Dementia Test

Who Is This Dementia Quiz For

Watch This Man Take A Test For Alzheimers

Below is a list of 10 questions designed for people who are concerned about memory loss. The questions relate to life experiences common among people who have been diagnosed with dementia, a neurocognitive disorder, and are based on criteria in the DSM-5 .

Please read each question carefully, and indicate how often you have experienced the same or similar challenges in the past few months.

What Diagnosis Falls Under Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimers disease is a diagnosis in itself. When it is noticeable clinically and identified early on, the formal diagnosis may be Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimers disease which may later develop into a diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimers disease.

  • Alzheimers Association.;Stages of Alzheimers. Accessed May 27, 2021.
  • National Institute on Aging. Alzheimers Disease Fact Sheet. Content reviewed May 2019. Accessed May 27, 2021.
  • Sage Test Sample Questions

    Here are examples of three questions you might encounter on the SAGE test:

  • You are purchasing $13.45 worth of groceries. How much change would you receive back from a $20 bill?
  • Draw the face of a clock and put in the numbers. Position the hands for 5 minutes after 11 o’clock, On your clock, label the long hand with an “L” and the short hand with an “S.”
  • Write down the names of 12 different animals.
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    What Causes Dementia To Progress So Quickly

    Dementia symptoms are typically mild at first and progress over time to moderate and then severe, over several years. The speed as which dementia progresses varies between individuals, but some factors can cause dementia to progress more quickly. These include the persons age, the type of dementia, and other long term health problems. Dementia tends to progress more slowly in people over 65 compared to younger people below 65.

    Mental Ability Tests To Diagnose Dementia

    Better support, thanks to you: Dementia Connect online ...

    People with symptoms of dementia are given tests to check their mental abilities, such as memory or thinking.

    These tests are known as cognitive assessments, and may be done initially by a GP.

    There are several different tests. A common one used;by GPs is;the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition .

    Although;these tests cannot diagnose dementia,;they may show there are memory difficulties that need further investigation.

    Most;tests involve a series of pen-and-paper tests and questions, each of which carries a score.

    These tests assess a number of different mental abilities, including:

    • short- and long-term memory
    • language and communication skills
    • awareness of time and place

    It’s important to remember that test scores may be influenced by a person’s level of education.

    For example, someone who cannot read or write very well may have a lower score, but they may not have dementia.

    Similarly, someone with a higher level of education may achieve a higher score, but still have dementia.

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    Other Scans And Procedures To Diagnose Dementia

    Other types of scan, such as a;SPECT scan or a PET scan, may be recommended if the result of your;MRI or;CT scan is uncertain.

    However, most people will not;need these types of scans.

    Both SPECT and PET;scans look at how the brain functions, and can pick up abnormalities with the blood flow in the brain.

    If a specialist is worried that epilepsy may be causing the;dementia symptoms,;an EEG may be taken to record the brain’s electrical signals , but this is rare.

    Page last reviewed: 3 July 2020 Next review due: 3 July 2023

    Free Ohio State Sage Tests

    The Ohio State University Medical Center’s Department of Neurology has developed several free tests which you can download and use for free here Sage Test. There are several versions of this test that you can use. They are more complex than the oral tests above and might be good for someone who would resist having you test them, but might be willing to take a written test.

    Read Also: Is Weight Loss A Symptom Of Dementia

    What Does Sage Stand For

    The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam, known as SAGE, is a brief, pen-and-paper cognitive assessment tool designed to detect the early signs of cognitive, memory, or thinking impairments. The test evaluates your thinking abilities. This can help your doctors understand how well your brain is functioning.

    Douglas Scharre, MD, director of the division of cognitive neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, developed the test over a five-year period based on clinical experience and review of literature.

    Questions were designed to evaluate every part of a patients brain,” Dr. Scharre explains.

    The scoring for SAGE was designed to give equal weight for questions that assess brain function for the front, the back, the left, and the right side of the brain, so that no area was overrepresented.

    SAGE will not diagnose any specific condition. It will not tell your doctor if you have Alzheimers disease or any other condition that can impact your thinking.

    But it is a helpful screening tool for mild cognitive impairment from any cause and early dementia.

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    How Does A Doctor Test For Dementia

    Easy Test to Find Out if You May Have Early Signs of Dementia or Alzheimer’s

    There is no single diagnostic test for Alzheimers disease and other causes of dementia. Dementias are diagnosed by evaluating and understanding a persons memory and thinking patterns. Doctors will consider a persons memory, grasp of language, mood states, problem-solving skills, ability to maintain focus and perform complex tasks. Evaluation may include in-office cognitive screening , physical examination, and review of labs. Labwork helps to determine whether there are vitamin deficiencies or hormonal changes at play. In some cases, evaluation may require neuropsychological testing, brain imaging , and genetic testing.

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    More Easy Mental Quizzes

    Doctors often use some of these simple mental tests in their examinations both to screen for dementia and also to detect whether a person is worsening in mental abilities. At every doctor’s examination, I attended with my in-laws, our family physician would give them 3-4 of these tasks. I was amazed at how easily these tests showed when my in-laws had worsened in memory loss, even though I was not always able to tell that in our daily lives.

  • Ask: What is today’s date?
  • Ask: Where are we? What city? Do you know the state?
  • Ask them to copy a simple design like a triangle inside a rectangle, or a circle inside a square.
  • Ask them to follow a 3-step command like get a glass, pour some milk and sit down at the table.
  • Write down three instructions and have them follow them.
  • Ask: Count backward from 100 by 7s.
  • Have them write down a sentence you say orally.
  • Have them spell words.
  • Ask: Tell me how to get to the grocery store .
  • These sorts of activities are part of daily living, and you may find you can do your “quiz” periodically without actually telling the person you are testing their memory. If your informal quiz leads you to suspect the person is having memory issues, it is vital to have them see a doctor for an evaluation.

    What If The Gp Wont Make A Referral To A Memory Service Or Clinic For A Specialist Assessment

    If you are experiencing difficulty getting a diagnosis, or if you have questions you cant get answered, well take the time to really understand the problem, and give you the expert support you need to tackle it. Please call our specialist dementia Admiral Nurses on our Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email .

    Read Also: What Is Early Onset Dementia

    Sage Test Questions And Answers

    The test is self-administered. There are four forms and any form may be used . The exam should be completed without the help from anyone else. All four pages must be completed. User questions should not be answered with anything beyond do the best you can. The test should take about 10-15 minutes to complete, though the test is not timed. Total possible points are 22.

    What Is The Sage Test

    Brain puzzles

    SAGE is a self-administered test available online. It has been scientifically evaluated in comparison with other common dementia tests and has been found to be an accurate tool to identify signs of memory and thinking impairment. While not meant to replace a clinical assessment, the SAGE test can be helpful in identifying cognitive losses earlier, when treatment may be most effective.;

    The SAGE test contains a series of questions that measure cognitive functioning. There are actually four different tests to choose from, and they are all interchangeable. If you took all four , you should score essentially the same on each test.The different options are available to reduce the chances of inaccurate scoring that can result from re-taking the same test too frequently.

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    The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale

    The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale is one of the most commonly used depression rating scales. It requires 2030 min of questions in a semi-structured interview by a trained interviewer, and is therefore unlikely to be used in people with dementia. It is commonly used in antidepressant drug trials, and like MADRS, has a preponderance of psychological rather than physical items.

    When You Should Have An Assessment For Dementia

    If you are worried about your thinking or memory, or you notice any of the symptoms listed above or that you are behaving differently, you should visit your GP. They may suggest that you have an assessment to check if your symptoms can be explained by dementia.

    Being assessed for dementia usually takes time . The process is not a single step but can include various stages and tests, and you will have several appointments.

    When the assessment is complete, the doctor should have enough information to make a diagnosis – which will tell you what is causing your symptoms. They may give you a diagnosis of dementia. ‘What happens after a diagnosis?’ has advice on what you can do, and where you can seek further support if this happens.

    Throughout the assessment process you may feel unsettled or anxious. You can refer to this factsheet over the course of your assessment to understand more about each stage.

    You can also get support, information and advice at any point throughout the assessment process by calling our National Dementia Helpline.

    Dementia Connect support line

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    Simple Tests You Can Do At Home

    Sometimes, it is hard to decide whether someone is having memory problems which are unusual. Many people with dementia become good at hiding their memory confusion. Luckily, there are some simple tests you can give to test a person’s mental functioning. What I like about these sorts of tests is that you might be able to give some of these to a person without letting them know they are being tested .

    Who Should Consider Taking The Sage Test

    Persons with Dementia: Skills for Addressing Challenging Behaviors (V16MIR)

    According to Scharre, anyone who is experiencing memory, language, problem-solving, or thinking problems should consider taking SAGE.

    This may be especially important if you are noticing very mild symptoms, since SAGE is designed to pick up early deficits and allow your healthcare providers to diagnose and manage any potential conditions at an early stage,” he explains.

    Friends or family members may want to encourage a loved to take the test if they notice issues related to memory or thinking.

    You may also wish to take a SAGE to establish a baseline cognitive assessment to use for comparison in the future if you have a family history of dementia or thinking problems.

    Typically, we would suggest repeating the test every six months unless significant cognitive changes are occurring,” advises Scharre.

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    You can download the test for free at the Wexner Medical Center website.

    Theres also a digital version made for tablets produced by a company called BrainTest. It consists of identical test questions. This version is scored by a panel and results are sent to you so can take them to your primary care physician for further discussion. You can download the electronic version at BrainTest.com.

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    What Are The Different Types Of Dementia

    Various disorders and factors contribute to the development of dementia. Neurodegenerative disorders result in a progressive and irreversible loss of neurons and brain functioning. Currently, there are no cures for these diseases.

    The five most common forms of dementia are:

    • Alzheimers disease, the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults. It is caused by changes in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins, known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
    • Frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of dementia that tends to occur in people younger than 60. It is associated with abnormal amounts or forms of the proteins tau and TDP-43.
    • Lewy body dementia, a form of dementia caused by abnormal deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein, called Lewy bodies.
    • Vascular dementia, a form of dementia caused by conditions that damage blood vessels in the brain or interrupt the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
    • Mixed dementia, a combination of two or more types of dementia.

    Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living

    The Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale takes 5 min for a basically trained interviewer to assess ability in eight complex daily living tasks such as telephone use, shopping, housekeeping and finances. These abilities are more complex than the more basic abilities assessed by the Barthel scale, and therefore more sensitive to the cognitive changes seen in dementia. It is very commonly used in European memory clinics .

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    Is Dementia A Mental Illness

    Dementia is a mental health disorder as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association changed the name to Major Neurocognitive Disorder, which is a mouthful. The change was made in order to provide a clearer description of the problem. Whats most important to know is that dementias can involve changes to emotions, behaviors, perceptions, and movements in addition to memory and thinking.

    What Is Dementia And What Causes It

    What is Vascular Dementia?

    Dementia is a syndrome that causes a person to develop difficulty and problems with their memory or their ability to think. Unlike the normal changes that happen in a persons memory and thinking over time, dementia affects someones ability to function in their daily life activities and their normal routine .There are different causes of dementia. These causes are typically underlying neurological conditions . One common cause of dementia is Alzheimers disease. Other causes include diseases that impact brain blood vessels. For example, strokes may cause what is commonly termed Vascular Dementia. Some causes include Lewy Body Disease and Parkinsons disease.

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    The Informant Questionnaire On Cognitive Decline In The Elderly

    The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly is a questionnaire administered to an informant outlining changes in everyday cognitive function. It aims to establish cognitive decline independent of premorbid ability by concentrating on 1626 functional tasks, including recall of dates/conversations/whereabouts of objects, handling finances and using gadgets. It takes about 10 min to administer, and is conventionally used at the assessment stage in diagnosing dementia, usually combined with a direct cognitive assessment of the patient. This combination increases accuracy of diagnoses versus cognitive assessment alone . It is therefore suitable as a screening tool rather than in assessing change in function.

    How Effective Is The Sage Test

    SAGE is very effective in detecting cognitive disorders. As many as 4/5 people can detect dementia through the use of it. Primarily it is because the SAGE test doesnt diagnose a specific cognitive condition. The test detects overall cognitive impairment.;Regardless of ones cognitive state, whether a mini-stroke, early stage of dementia, or similar symptoms, the test will detect any impairment.;

    As much as the SAGE test doesnt diagnose Alzheimers, it allows one to know whether further evaluation by a professional medical expert is warranted. The test helps people catch early dementia. The earlier this detection happens, the earlier one can start treatment. Furthermore, the test gives physicians a baseline as they document cognitive changes enabling them to make targeted interventions.;

    The test is easy to administer, and it can be used to screen large groups of people simultaneously. Participants get tested on reasoning, language, visuospatial, memory abilities, computations, and orientations.;

    The fact that 95 percent of tested people achieve normal SAGE scores makes it a reliable resource. Go for a follow-up appointment with your doctor if you miss at least six points of the total 22 points. You may not even realize that you have early dementia signs unless the doctor performs follow-up evaluation.;

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    The Geriatric Depression Scale

    The Geriatric Depression Scale is the most commonly used assessment of depressed mood among older people, and has been shortened to numerous versions, including a popular 15-item version . GDS-15 is usually self rated though can be rated by an assessor. It is sensitive to change and is reliable in older people in institutional care. It takes about 510 min to administer. Its major drawback in dementia is that it has been validated for people with mild dementia, but not for those with moderate to severe dementia .

    What Kind Of Doctor Tests For Dementia

    Caregiver Training: Agitation and Anxiety | UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program

    A primary care doctor can perform a physical exam and find out more about your symptoms to determine what may be the cause. They will likely refer you to one or several specialists that can perform specific tests to diagnose dementia. Specialists may include neurologists, who specialize in the brain and nervous system; psychiatrists or psychologists, who specialize in mental health, mental functions, and memory; or geriatricians, who specialize in healthcare for older adults.

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