Geriatric Special Topics: Assessing Cognitive Function (2HR)

Course overview

Target Audience: The target audience for this education program is nurses who want to enhance their ability to assess cognitive functioning of the older adult and intervene appropriately based on their assessment findings. Course Overview: Cognitive function comprises perception, memory, and thinking—the processes by which a person perceives, recognizes, registers, stores, and uses information. Declines in cognitive function are a hallmark of aging. However, most declines in cognition with aging have no or minor clinical impact and are not pathological. This education program offers information about assessing cognitive function and incorporating those findings into clinical practice. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this chapter, the reader should be able to: 1. Discuss the importance of assessing cognitive function 2. Describe the methods of assessing cognitive function 3. Compare and contrast the clinical features of delirium, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and depression 4. Incorporate the assessment of cognitive function into daily practice