Has anyone done a cognitive test at their doctor's office.?

[oscash]

My doctor asked me to see the nurse to do a Diabetes update and cognitive test. I thought that was strange. She asked me what today's date was, what is the name of the medical centre I was in, my height and weight, name the three articles she showed me a couple of minutes ago. Count backwards from 100. draw a clock and put in the hands of 11.40 am. She then drew a square with multiple sides (failed
that miserably)., then showed me three articles and name them (torch, cell phone and a pencil). I thought it was a total waste of time.

 

[January]

Sounds like the MOCA or variation on it.
I have done similar on patients in our surgery sometimes

 

[Jules]

I wonder what the doctor would have said if you refused to do the test.

 

[Warrigal]

My doctor asked me to see the nurse to do a Diabetes update and cognitive test. I thought that was strange. She asked me what today's date was, what is the name of the medical centre I was in, my height and weight, name the three articles she showed me a couple of minutes ago. Count backwards from 100. draw a clock and put in the hands of 11.40 am. She then drew a square with multiple sides (failed
that miserably)., then showed me three articles and name them (torch, cell phone and a pencil). I thought it was a total waste of time.

That's your base line. Over time repetitions of the test will track cognitive decline.

I've been given my first test this year. No big deal.

 

[Buckeye]

So, would you want to know if you were in the early stages of dementia, or would you rather not know?

 

[Knight]

Might sound like a waste of time but that test (failing miserably) was the beginning of a series of tests to determine if my wife was in the early stages of Alzheimers. Next came blood test that is approved to detect amyloid plaques buildup then brain x-ray to set the reason for a pet scan of the brain to reach a conclusion of yes or no. Not an easy process to go thru hoping the outcome isn't Alzheimers. No plaque buildup but restriction of blood vessels to the brain that meds can help with.

 

[Warrigal]

So, would you want to know if you were in the early stages of dementia, or would you rather not know?

I would like to know because I would like some say in how I might be cared for in the future. I would like to choose my aged care facility if at all possible.

 

[robin416]

I hate when they ask that date question. I finally told a nurse that they need a new question for retirees since we don't really give a flip what the date is.

 

[Messy]

My doctor asked me to see the nurse to do a Diabetes update and cognitive test. I thought that was strange. She asked me what today's date was, what is the name of the medical centre I was in, my height and weight, name the three articles she showed me a couple of minutes ago. Count backwards from 100. draw a clock and put in the hands of 11.40 am. She then drew a square with multiple sides (failed
that miserably)., then showed me three articles and name them (torch, cell phone and a pencil). I thought it was a total waste of time.

My dad got that when he had a delirium. Not that complicated though. It was to check if he understood something. He couldn't name a clock and a pen.
They asked his date of birth and he gave my mom's. That was sweet.

 

[Jeni]

I have not been asked to take one but had a few doctors in my life that I would like to see if they could pass one.

If there was not a clear reason to, I wonder if another poster said just decided to do a baseline or if it is a billable item.

 

[C50]

I do one every year as part of my yearly physical, I think it's a good idea. Too many times us seniors down play or flat out ignore early warning signs of mental decline. Each years cognitive test creates a base for future testing, maybe score a 100% this year but next year you only hit 75%, that would set of some alarms and the doctor should examine more thourghly.

 

[Della]

My doctor asked me to see the nurse to do a Diabetes update and cognitive test. I thought that was strange. She asked me what today's date was, what is the name of the medical centre I was in, my height and weight, name the three articles she showed me a couple of minutes ago. Count backwards from 100. draw a clock and put in the hands of 11.40 am. She then drew a square with multiple sides (failed
that miserably)., then showed me three articles and name them (torch, cell phone and a pencil). I thought it was a total waste of time.

Instant fail for me. I never know the date, just never do, never know it's my birthday till someone says something. I lost a job interview 20 years ago over it. I could tell I had the job, she was telling me things like where to put my stuff and I knew I was almost over qualified. Then just before leaving I had to sign and date something. I went er-uh what day is it? She told me the day, but not the month and I went totally blank. There was a long awkward silence and that was it.

Do you ever feel like you have some damaged spot in your brain? I do and that's it.

Image borrowed from Seadoug.

 

[Ronni]

I’ve never had a test but will ask for one when I go for my yearly tomorrow. I am confident I have no issues currently, but I want that baseline established.

 

[hawkdon]

I've had that for about 3 yrs I think, what irritates me about it is that
my doc/nurse blast out those questions so fast it is no wonder I fail
some part of it, what is the hurry???

 

[Michael Z]

I never know the exact date but I can calculate it if the first of the month was a notable day. Like this month I remember that April Fool’s Day was on a Wednesday because the person I was with on Tuesday the 31st of March thought it was April 1.
So today would be April 30 since 1 + 28 + 1 = 30.

But too bad, I failed, so all that is for nothing!

 

[That Lady in PA]

I thought it was a total waste of time.

Never a waste of time to establish a baseline.

 

[officerripley]

Huzz went in for a cognitive test about a month ago because I've been noticing and worrying about his memory loss. When he got home from the exam, I asked him if they gave him the clock test. He said no; I said what tests did they give you he said he couldn't remember which ones. He goes back in next month to get the results.

 

[outlander]

Especially now that I'm not working I don't always keep track of the date or sometimes even the day of the week.

So I guess I could fail the cognitive thingy, what is it called?

Wait a minute, where am I?

I forgot what I was saying...

Oh well, no worries, I'm doing just fine

 

[C50]

They have never asked todays date during my cognitive tests, that I would probably fail.

They start of giving me an address that they ask me to repeat during and at the end of the test. They ask questions like when was world war two, who is the president, what month it is, what I had for dinner yesterday, etc. They have also had me draw shapes, square, rectangle, triangle and a clock face with hands at a certain time.

 

[hearlady]

I study for it. Make sure I know the date before I go. A quick check of clock hands.
Now remember these four words?........make sure I take my vitamins that morning.

 

[Ronni]

It just occurred to me that our younger generations, as the age and require testing, wound be able to do the clock face test because most have never been taught to read an analog clock. For them everything's digital.

I taught all my kids how to tell time on an analog clock before I would allow them to wear a digital watch, but most of my fellow parents at that time didn’t do the same.

 

[GoodEnuff]

I was told three words and asked to remember them a few minutes later. Failed, lol. But I can tell you what my vital signs were. I would not be surprised if this is now part of the Medicare Wellness Check requirements.

 

[Sunkist]

IF there's a legitimate reason for it.. but age alone is not a legitimate reason. It's just another scam too many people are falling for these days.

 

[Sunkist]

I was told three words and asked to remember them a few minutes later. Failed, lol. But I can tell you what my vital signs were. I would not be surprised if this is now part of the Medicare Wellness Check requirements.

That's the first place I heard of this, only a few years ago. I read about it online.

 

[Time Waits 4 No Man]

I was told three words and asked to remember them a few minutes later.

My doctor requires that I take a "cognitive test" with each annual "Wellness Check". I too was given 3 words to remember then asked to name them about 5 minutes later, after being involved in a variety of other tests. For example, words like: "apple", "chair", & "boy". When possible, I do not try to recall the words in the sequence they were given, but instead do my best to fashion something memorable out of the first letters (a-c-b) of each word in order to come up with a word like "cab" - Doing so helps to "trigger" my memory into recalling the words later on.

Anyway, my "cheating" works most of the time.