CHICAGO: A new tool may provide a simple and reliable way to detect and monitor cognitive, functional, and psychological symptoms in aging adults, according to the tool’s developers.
The Healthy Aging Brain Care (HABC) Monitor “helps busy physicians accurately measure and monitor the severity of symptoms, providing valuable information that the patient’s entire care team needs,” says the report.
The HABC Monitor includes 27 items on a 4-point scale to assess cognitive, functional, and psychological symptoms. There are self-report and caregiver versions, which can be completed online or with paper and pencil in 2 to 3 minutes. The tool asks caregivers and patients questions such as, during the past 2 weeks, how often have you (or your loved one) had problems with 10 different tasks…