If you feel that your older adult is experiencing memory, thinking, or judgment issues, you may wish to have them take the SAGE dementia test. Not every adult child can take care of their parents, but in-home care providers can be such a wonderful choice. These caregivers can help create a care plan for your senior parent, ensuring they’re staying safe and healthy.
This free, 15-minute at-home pen-and-paper test successfully detects early Alzheimer’s or dementia indicators. If you are seeing some signs of serious forgetfulness, the SAGE test may be something to have your seniors do while you are watching. You may be curious about this test, and don’t worry, we will go over everything you need to know about this test.
Taking care of your senior parents can be challenging. You may feel like you are also forgetting things or having problems. You can also take this test for free to ensure there are no problems and nothing is going on with you. Keeping up on your own health will help you care for your seniors better too. The SAGE test is for everyone who may have signs of forgetfulness, and you can access it easily. Here is everything you need to know about it.
How The Sage Test Works for Seniors Who May Have Dementia
SAGE stands for Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination and was established at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by researchers. The SAGE exam consists of twelve questions covering all facets of cognition, including memory, problem-solving, and language. The exam is available in four distinct formats. They are sufficiently comparable, but several versions imply that someone might take the exam once a year and not enhance their score each year just by taking it before. Every test will be different each time.
Take The Test From The Comfort Of Your Home
The best thing about the SAGE test is that you don’t have to go to a doctor’s office or a facility to take the test. This can be too overwhelming for a senior, but taking something at home can be just as helpful. Depending on the results, you can take it to their doctors after it is printed and filled out. You can download the test and then take it in just a few minutes.
Take The Results To The Doctor
Make no assumption that the test findings constitute a diagnosis of any sort. The SAGE test is a screening tool designed to assist physicians in detecting early indicators of cognitive impairment that are often undetectable during a routine office visit. Doctors can monitor changes in cognitive capacity over time by repeating the exam. Quantifying changes enables them to identify and treat health problems early. It’s crucial to have the test completed and allow the doctor to view the results.
Why Is An Early Diagnosis Important?
If your loved one is doing things that have started to concern you, getting an early diagnosis may help you understand their actions better. There also may be other conditions a doctor can help with which will make their lives easier in the future. Getting treatment sooner rather than later means that a doctor can help treat the cognitive symptoms. Introducing in-home care providers to your senior loved one in the early stages of dementia can make it easier for them to become used to the idea of having help.
