Observe Mental Status

• Memory

• Attention

• Orientation

• Recall

• Calculation

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As we discussed earlier, individuals with any mental status changes are at increased risk for falling.

The Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) can be used to test some aspects of mental functions such as memory, attention, orientation, recall and calculation. The MMSE is normally administered by trained professionals. It only takes a few minutes to administer and is easy to score. The highest score is 30 and a score of 21 or less usually indicates some type of cognitive impairment that requires more evaluation.

It can be used as an ongoing assessment tool, repeating the test if any change in status is noted or at least on a yearly basis.

A sample copy is included in this manual.