Dementia Assessment Scale – Insight into Usage and Results
The Reisberg Functional Assessment Screening Tool (FAST), developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg in the 1980s, is a valuable diagnostic and evaluation tool for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This scale, presented in a 1985 article published in Hospital and Community Psychiatry, outlines seven distinct "stages" of functional decline in AD.
In its simplest form, the FAST scale represents the functional ability of an adult without AD in stages 1 and 2. As the disease progresses, individuals move through stages 3 to 7, each stage indicating a more severe decline in cognitive function.
Stage 3 signals the initial development of Alzheimer's-type dementia (ATD). At this stage, individuals may experience memory loss and minor changes in their daily functioning.
As the disease advances, stage 4 indicates a mild ATD, with a decreased ability to perform complex tasks. Stage 5 marks the onset of moderate ADT, requiring assistance in choosing appropriate clothing.
Stage 6 indicates moderately severe ADT, with errors in daily functioning such as putting on the wrong clothing or being unable to bathe properly. The most severe stage, stage 7, indicates severe ADT, with the individual's ability to speak limited to six or fewer intelligible words and the loss of the ability to walk without personal assistance. Individuals with a stage 7 FAST classification may be in the terminal stage of AD, with a life expectancy of around 6 months or less.
The FAST scale allows clinicians and caregivers to assess a person's decline in cognitive function throughout the disease. Clinicians may use the FAST scale during each office visit to detect any changes. If the FAST scale indicates that a treatment is no longer effective, a healthcare professional may refer the person to palliative or hospice care, as suggested by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
The NHPCO states that the FAST scale is the most validated measure of AD progression in scientific literature. Other cognitive tests for dementia include the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition and the Mini-Mental State Examination.
The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) provides an adapted version of the FAST scale, making it accessible for a wide range of healthcare professionals. The FAST scale can help monitor the effectiveness of treatment and, in some cases, determine the need for palliative or hospice care.
While there is no specific frequency stated for doctors to apply the FAST scale to their patients in the provided search results, regular assessments are crucial for managing AD and ensuring the best possible care for those affected by this debilitating disease.
