Cited by 127Telemedicine and Telehealth ImplementationDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchDental Research and COVID-19

Remote cognitive and behavioral assessment: Report of the Alzheimer Society of Canada Task Force on dementia care best practices for COVID‐19

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Geddes, Maiya R., O'Connell, Megan E., Fisk, John D., Gauthier, Serge, Camicioli, Richard, Ismail, Zahinoor, for the Alzheimer Society of Canada Task Force on Dementia Care Best Practices for COVID‐19·2020·Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Despite the urgent need for remote neurobehavioral assessment of individuals with cognitive impairment, guidance is lacking. Our goal is to provide a multi-dimensional framework for remotely assessing cognitive, functional, behavioral, and physical aspects of people with cognitive impairment, along with ethical and technical considerations. METHODS: Literature review on remote cognitive assessment and multidisciplinary expert opinion from behavioral neurologists, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, and geriatricians was integrated under the auspices of the Alzheimer Society of Canada Task Force on Dementia Care Best Practices for COVID-19. Telephone and video approaches to assessments were considered. RESULTS: Remote assessment is shown to be acceptable to patients and caregivers. Informed consent, informant history, and attention to privacy and autonomy are paramount. A range of screening and domain-specific instruments are available for telephone or video assessment of cognition, function, and behavior. Some neuropsychological tests administered by videoconferencing show good agreement with in-person assessment but still lack validation and norms. Aspects of the remote dementia-focused neurological examination can be performed reliably. DISCUSSION: Despite challenges, current literature and practice support implementation of telemedicine assessments for patients with cognitive impairment. Convergence of data across the clinical interview, reliable and brief remote cognitive tests, and remote neurological exam increase confidence in clinical interpretation and diagnosis.

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  • Technology is helping to improve access to care for people living with dementia, especially for those in rural areas and those with mobility limitations.

    “Technology is also helping to improve access to care for people living with dementia, especially for those in rural areas and those with mobility limitations. 855”

    From 2024 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures (2024) · cites this paper as [855]

    The Ethical Considerations section says telemedicine has the potential to improve specialist access for patients with reduced mobility or geographical constraints. But Future Directions and Conclusion says whether people in rural areas benefit from telehealth still needs study, so the claim overstates an established benefit for that group. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Geddes, M. R., O'Connell, M. E., Fisk, J. D., Gauthier, S., Camicioli, R., Ismail, Z., & for the Alzheimer Society of Canada Task Force on Dementia Care Best Practices for COVID‐19
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Department of Psychology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Canada
  • Dalhousie University (CA)
  • McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging (CA)
  • University of Alberta (CA)
  • University of Calgary (CA)
Corresponding author
Geddes, Maiya R.
Venue
Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-01
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
e12111-e12111
ISSN
2352-8729 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3089035976
Cited by
127
References
9
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 1
FWCI
3.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › General Dentistry › Dental Research and COVID-19
Keywords
remote cognitive assessment, telemedicine, dementia, COVID-19 pandemic, behavioral assessment, functional assessment, telephone assessment, videoconferencing, neuropsychological assessment, informed consent, privacy and autonomy, screening tool

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