Monday, December 2, 2013

What Is The Dementia Rating Scale?

By Jack Morgan


The condition of dementia goes through different stages in its development. In order to diagnose the illness and quantify the symptoms of this condition, different rating and diagnosis instruments are used. One of the most common instruments is the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). The instrument functions as a numeric device used to quantify the intensity of various dementia symptoms.

When it comes to diagnosing patients who have dementia, doctors use something that is referred to as the dementia rating scale. The dementia rating scale is a way to categorize the severity of the affects of the condition on the patients. The first way to test the rating scale of the stage of dementia that the patient has is to test the level of the cognition that the patient is able to utilize regularly.

Cognition tends to be the most prevalent distinguishing factor that is variable from patient to patient in different cases of dementia. The first element of the testing starts with the quality of life that the patient is able to live in without outside intervention.

The CDR scale has been commended for its effectiveness in detecting mild impairments. The downside of using the scale is however that it takes time to administer the identified reliance and subjective assessment. The other demerit of the instrument is its relative failure to detect changes over time.

Stage three is a stage where there is also Dementia.There is increased forgetfulness, a slight concentration difficulty, and work performance is decreased. People can get lost regularly and also there is difficulty in finding the words which are right. Normally, there is notice of a Cognitive decline by the person`s loved ones. Average period for this is 7 years before the onset of Dementia.

Some of the testing includes the abbreviated mental test, the clock drawing, the mini-cog, the 6-cit, and the test your memory. Each of these unique tests helps to determine the patient's individual abilities and helps to determine the level of impact that the condition has had on the individual.

CDR scale is not the only tool in the inquiry domain of dementia. PAINAD scale is another instrument used for assessing the severity of dementia symptoms. This tool is used on patients who have the form of dementia that has escalated to advanced stages so much that the patients can no longer communicate verbally.

If you know someone who is currently suffering with the effects of the condition that is known as dementia, then it might be best to take your loved one to get screened or assessed to determine the severity of the dementia. The determined dementia rating scale of your loved one could help to ensure that the person being effected by dementia is going to receive the best care.

Each case of dementia is unique and this is why it is imperative to determine the unique dementia rating scale of your loved one. This will assist doctors in the measures needed to make sure that your loved one is being taken care of in the most effective ways possible to ensure a happy healthy life.




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