Abstract
Introduction Identifying cognitive impairment in the elderly at an early stage has attained greater momentum in view of the increasing aged population in India. Different tools which are simple to administer as well as complex neuropsychological tests are available for assessment. RUDAS has been found to be useful in different contexts. Method A sample of 62 persons (29-men and 33-women) above the age of 60 was administered RUDAS and 31 of them had a score of ≥ 23 and an equal number had scores below the cut off score. Results It was found that the total score as well as the sub score of visuo-constructional drawing of RUDAS were correlated with number of years of schooling. Conclusion RUDAS may be used as an effective tool to identify the persons with cognitive impairment at an early age. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v4i2.5267
Highlights
Identifying cognitive impairment in the elderly at an early stage has attained greater momentum in view of the increasing aged population in India
The results showed that out of 62 (29-men, 33-women) individuals who were assessed, 31 (14-men, 17-women) scored below 23 which is indicative of possible cognitive impairment [13]
All five patients who were clinically diagnosed to have dementia scored below the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) cut-off
Summary
Identifying cognitive impairment in the elderly at an early stage has attained greater momentum in view of the increasing aged population in India. The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in India is increasing every year. A study conducted in India suggests that the elderly with dementia in the developing countries often do not make use of the health services [3]. Even if they desire to do so, the health care system is not well equipped to provide them with the required services. Early identification of dementia in the community assumes greater significance in order to formulate strategies for providing services for them. The impact of dementia on the individual, the family and the society at large, has not been studied extensively [4]
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