DEMENTIA SCREENING and CARE out of the Shadows and Into the Light
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DEMENTIA SCREENING AND CARE Out of the Shadows and Into the Light Wendy Ostlind, RN, MSN Louisa Crosby, AGACNP-BC In Wyoming… ■ 9,400 people currently living with Alzheimer’s Disease – Does not include those living with other types of dementia ■ 28,000 unpaid caregivers (3:1 ratio) supporting those living with Alzheimer’s. – This number indicates a great need for community involvement. ■ By 2025 - 13,000 people will have Alzheimer’s Disease – 39% increase, the 9th highest in the U.S. – 70% of all of those living with dementia continue to live in the community (not in institutions) – One in seven of those lives alone 9/28/2018 http://www.dfwsheridan.org/statistics 2 ■ Currently –Alzheimer's5.7 million Disease Projections Americans w/ National Alzheimer’s 20 ■ Alzheimer’s is 6th leading cause of death in Public Health US Crisis ■ Total annual cost of dementia in US in13.8 2013 11.6 ) – $203 billion (not including unpaid r Currently – 5.7 million Americans w/ s e n b 10 o i l caregivers) l m Alzheimer’s i 8.4 u m N ( th Alzheimer’s is 6 leading cause of 5.8 death in US Total annual cost of dementia in US in 2013 - $203 billion (not including 0 unpaid caregivers) 2020 2030 2040 2050 Year Alzheimer’s Association Report 2018 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(18)30041-4/pdf 9/28/2018 3 National Public Health Crisis… ■ Early diagnosis of AD could have important personal and financial benefits. A mathematical model estimates that early and accurate diagnosis could save up to $7.9 trillion in medical and care costs. Alzheimer’s Association Report 2018 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552- 9/28/2018 5260(18)30041-4/pdf 4 Dementia Screening and Care – Out of the Shadows and Into the Light ■ Objectives: – Identify the barriers to as well as the importance of early diagnosis of cognitive decline. – Identify Treatment and Management Strategies. – Visualize a comprehensive continuum of care for those experiencing cognitive decline, as well as their families and care-givers. 9/28/2018 5 OBJECTIVE 1: Identify the barriers to as well as the importance of early diagnosis of cognitive decline. 9/28/2018 6 What happens when you have Alzheimer’s…. ■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nna8ZWr720 9/28/2018 7 Out of the Darkness…Identify the barriers to early diagnosis of cognitive decline. ■ Fear – “dread reflects the kind of life that our care system has created for people who receive the diagnosis [of dementia]” as much or more than fear of disease itself. Powers, A. (2010). Dementia Beyond Drugs. ■ Misunderstanding ■ Hopelessness ■ In video, mentioned “relief….” 9/28/2018 8 Out of the Darkness…Identify the barriers to early diagnosis of cognitive decline. ■ Medical Management can only mitigate symptoms at this time – Limited beneficial effects – Side effects (especially the cholinergics) 9/28/2018 9 Out of the Darkness…Identify the importance of early diagnosis of cognitive decline. ■ Optimize current medical management ■ Relief gained from better understanding ■ Maximize decision-making autonomy ■ Access to services ■ Risk reduction ■ Plan for the future ■ Improve clinical outcomes ■ Avoid or reduce future costs ■ Diagnosis as a human right 9/28/2018 10 A Screening Tool – a portal to care ■ Screening for dementia can bring the topic into the light… – We screen for many physiologic parameters: we check weight to get a sense of metabolic functions, blood pressure and pulse for cardiovascular function and respiratory rate and quality for respiratory function. Shouldn’t we be screening for cognitive function? – Screening can normalize conversations about cognitive decline and act as a portal to care. – We are proposing the use of the Mini-Cog to screen for cognitive decline. 9/28/2018 11 The Mini-Cog ■ The Mini-Cog©; is a 3-minute instrument that can increase detection of cognitive impairment in older adults. It can be used effectively after brief training in both healthcare and community settings. ■ It consists of two components, a 3-item recall test for memory and a simply scored clock drawing test. ■ As a screening test, however, it does not substitute for a complete diagnostic workup. 9/28/2018 12 Mini-Cog Improves Physician Recognition *** 100 *** 80 60 *** Mini-Cog 40 Patient’s own % Correct % physician 20 *** p < 0 .001 CDR Stage 0.5 1 2 3 MCI Mild Mod Sev Borson S et al. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2006; 21: 349 9/28/2018 13 The Mini-cog – a Screening Tool that is… ■ Simple – Easy to administer; throws a wide loop – Not meant to tell you anything ABOUT cognitive decline, but IS meant to pick up cognitive decline EARLY. – Further testing then can lead to early diagnosis, proactive, patient directed planning. ■ Objective – Subjective assessments often miss cues that indicate there may be a problem ■ Reliable – studies have show that this simple test is as good as more complex assessments at identifying the need for further assessment – Good with varying levels of education as well as those who speak English as a second language. 9/28/2018 14 Cognitive Screening and follow up… 9/28/2018 15 www.actonalz.org/sites/default/files /documents/Mini-Cog_.pdf 9/28/2018 16 Clock #1 9/28/2018 17 Clock #2 9/28/2018 18 Clock #3 9/28/2018 19 Clock #4 9/28/2018 20 Clock #5 9/28/2018 21 Clock #6 9/28/2018 22 Clock #7 9/28/2018 23 A word about interpretation pitfalls ■ Do not interpret low scores without context – make note of significant context ■ Do not skimp on history taking ■ Do not interpret education or ethnicity as impairment ■ Keep in mind that this only a snapshot in time ■ Do not fall prey to confirmatory bias ■ The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence – if someone has concerns they should be assessed further 9/28/2018 24 Summary - Identify the barriers to as well as the importance of early diagnosis of cognitive decline. ■ Fear and misunderstanding can be addressed through education ■ The fact that we have no medical treatments to change the course of illness feels hopeless; education about the non-medical support and management is crucial. ■ Caregiver, family and community support are essential to successful disease management ■ A simple, objective, reliable screen brings cognitive health out of the shadows. ■ Subjective evaluation does not identify cognitive decline until late in the course of decline. ■ Early diagnosis defines the prognosis and facilitates planning enabling the person experiencing cognitive decline to be the master of their own fate. ■ It is not the years in your life that count, but the life in those years…………………. 9/28/2018 25 OBJECTIVE 2: Identify Treatment and Management Strategies 9/28/2018 26 Two-step approach The Workup 1. Determine if MCI or Dementia is present 2. Identify underlying disease(s) ■ History ■ Review of Systems ■ Medical history ■ Social history ■ Family history ■ Physical and neurologic examination – Cognitive screening ■ Labs ■ Imaging ■ Consultations – geriatrician, neurology?, palliative/hospice 9/28/2018 27 General Management Considerations ■ Fixing vs. Supporting – Partnership: patient, caregiver, clinician – Goals: mitigating symptoms vs. living with disease at all costs – Side effects of medications (especially cholinergics) ■ FDA-approved medications may help improve or maintain cognitive and functional status, for a time…. – Medical management can only mitigate symptoms – Families/caregivers are helped by treatments that improve behavioral and psychological symptoms ■ Non-pharm strategies may help compensate for cognitive loss 9/28/2018 28 General Management Considerations • De-prescribe as able / refer to BEERs list • Anti-hyperglycemics and hypertensives • Anticholinergics - benadryl, antispasmodics, etc. • Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation vs. WATCHMAN • Statins • Vitamins/minerals • In-appropriate uses of anti-psychotics, hypnotics, narcotics, benzos • Create plan with care team • Family plan for managing meds • Med management aids (pill boxes, alarms) • Create & review medication log 9/28/2018 29 Non-Pharm Treatment ■ External memory aids – Calendars, lists, whiteboards - keep in the same place ■ Learning habits with procedural memory can help in middle/moderate stages ■ Pictures are easier to remember than spoken/written words ■ Art and Music ■ Aerobic exercise – Stimulates new neurons in the hippocampus and has positive effects on cardiovascular health and mood ■ Social and cognitively stimulating activities help improve function ■ Structured environments / routine schedule ■ Annual hearing/vision evaluation 9/28/2018 30 Strategies for Prevention • Physical Interventions to Prevent Cognitive Decline Insufficient evidence to support physical activity interventions in preventing cognitive decline Low strength evidence that supports multimodal approach (diet, physical activity, cognitive training) in preventing cognitive decline • Vitamins/Minerals Daily folic acid/B12 - some evidence to improve performance on cog evals Vit E - moderate evidence showing no benefit on cognition Omega 3, MVT, Vit C, Vit D + Ca, beta carotene, folic acid alone, soy, ginkgo biloba - limited or low strength evidence to support benefit in preventing cognitive decline • Pioglitazone Diabetes patients - protective effect for developing dementia with long term/high dose exposure 9/28/2018 31 Strategies for Treatment ■ FDA Approved Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Donepezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine NMDA Receptor Antagonist: Memantine ■ Forthcoming