SLUMS Score and Cognitive Assessment: Facility Guide

Patients with memory deficits are especially vulnerable to illness and injury. Without a diagnosis, these individuals often have a difficult time accessing community support services and find it challenging to complete tasks required for daily life. A SLUMS score can help diagnose dementia and ensure patients receive proper medical treatment and support.

Healthcare facilities can incorporate the SLUMS (Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination) score into their cognitive screening practices to streamline resources and support for patients and caregivers. You may be wondering how a SLUMS test score is calculated and what it means for patients.

Below, we provide an overview of the SLUMS examination, describe how it screens for different symptoms of dementia, and discuss how medical staff can interpret SLUMS test results and help patients live their lives to the fullest.

What Are the Symptoms of Dementia?

Dementia is a memory and processing disease that contributes to worsening problem-solving and language comprehension over time. Early signs and symptoms of dementia include:

• Forgetfulness.
• Losing or misplacing items.
• Getting lost or confused in familiar locations.
• Personality changes and inappropriate behavior.
• Conversational delay.

It can be challenging to diagnose dementia, as the symptoms experienced are common among a variety of mental and emotional illnesses. Using a SLUMS score to establish a differentiated dementia diagnosis is one way healthcare providers can help patients gain access to necessary resources and treatment.

What Does a SLUMS Test Evaluate?

Patients and their family members often present to healthcare facilities looking for answers to unexplained symptoms. For patients experiencing memory loss or personality changes, the SLUMS cognitive test can evaluate:

• Attention span.
• Short-term memory.
• Emotional regulation.
• Spatial-visual function.
• Orientation to time or place.

Through a series of 11 questions, a healthcare provider will measure different aspects of a patient’s cognition, recall, and memory. Knowing how and when to use the test is the first step in helping patients manage their disease and improve their quality of life.

You can access a free version of the SLUMS test online; however, to receive a formal diagnosis, the examination must be given in a healthcare setting by a qualified member of a medical team.

How Do You Conduct a SLUMS Score 11-Question Test?

The SLUMS cognitive test takes approximately seven minutes to administer. To begin, a medical provider will provide the patient with an assessment form and writing tool and will sit opposite the patient in a calm and quiet room. The examination begins with orientation questions like “What day of the week is it?” and “What is the current year?”

The test then moves on to recall and calculation-focused questions. Examples of these questions include the following:

• You have $100 and you go to the store and buy a dozen apples for $3 and a tricycle for $20. How much did you spend?
• Please name as many animals as you can in one minute.
• I am going to give you a series of numbers and I would like you to give them to me backwards. For example, if I say 42, you would say 24.

The next section assesses geospatial awareness and involves shape recognition and a drawing assignment. The test finishes with a reading of a short story, after which the patient must recall character names and story details.

Test scores range from 1-30; depending on the question, correct answers can count for between 0 and 5 points. At the conclusion of the examination, the provider will grade the patient’s test to determine the degree of cognitive decline.

How Is SLUMS Scoring Interpreted?

There are two separate scoring structures used for patients of different education levels. The following SLUMS scoring guides help providers determine the level of cognitive impairment for each patient.

Patients and their family members can find it challenging to understand the significance of a SLUMS test score. For example, they may wonder, “What does a SLUMS score of 13 mean?”

Scoring 13 points would mean that the patient falls within the “dementia” category and would need further testing to determine appropriate treatment. A SLUMS score of 5 would also signify dementia diagnosis, but the patient would likely experience more notable cognitive dysfunction and would need additional support.

Scores between 20-25 are borderline and represent better brain functioning than scores in the “dementia” range, while scores higher than 26 represent regular cognitive function.

How Does the SLUMS Memory Test Compare to Other Cognitive Examinations?

Studies show the SLUMS scoring system to be highly sensitive and specific for dementia diagnosis. For patients in nursing homes, the SLUMS cognitive test is more accurate than other memory examinations like the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS).

Despite the test’s accuracy, further assessment may be necessary to diagnose particular types of dementia, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Genetic screening and brain imaging can be used to determine the source of brain injury and can help providers develop appropriate treatment plans for diagnosed patients.

Why Is a Dementia Diagnosis Important for Patients?

Finding the cause of symptoms can aid patients in getting access to treatment and social benefits, including:

• Medications and therapies to help control symptoms.
• Access to support groups.
• Clinical trials.
• Government financial support.
• Legal rights and protection from discrimination due to disability.

Healthcare facilities are responsible for helping patients understand medical and financial resources available to them. Providing caregivers with a resource packet of community contacts and programs can help ease caregiver burdens.

Help Your Patients Get the Best Care Possible

The SLUMS score tool can help diagnose dementia and provide patients access to the resources they need. Get more of the latest evidence-based practices to support optimal patient care at your facility — at no cost to you.