Enhanced Skills Program: Care of the Elderly Cognition and Memory Rotation Goals and Objectives
By the end of the rotation, the resident will be able to:
Medical Expert
- Effectively perform a comprehensive cognitive assessment including focused dementia history and use of validated tools to diagnose dementia syndromes.
- Accurately formulate a working diagnosis and differential diagnosis consistent with current diagnostic criteria, including criteria for AD, VaD, mixed dementia, FTD, and DLB.
- Develop an appropriate plan to enhance diagnostic clarity including ordering of laboratory tests and scans.
- Demonstrate an understanding of treatment options.
- Perform an appropriate focused physical exam relevant to the assessment of an individual with cognitive concerns.
- Recognize the potential role of other health issues in the presentation of decreased cognitive performance in older adults and manages these factors appropriately.
- Demonstrate appropriate understanding of pharmacotherapy for patients with dementia, including an understanding of the benefits, risks limitations and potential adverse effects of these medications.
- Assess the needs of caregivers, including an assessment of potential abuse and caregiver stress.
- Implement appropriate non-pharmacological interventions for patients with dementia.
Communicator
- Develop rapport, trust and ethical therapeutic relationships with patients with dementia and their families. Skillfully recognizes and manages communication challenges with older patients with cognitive disorders.
- Accurately elicit and synthesize information from and perspectives of patients and families.
- Accurately convey needed information and explanations to patients and families.
- Develops a common understanding of issues, problems and plans with patients and families and provides and follow-up on a shared plan of care.
Collaborator
- Participate effectively and appropriately in an interprofessional healthcare team. Collaborate with community agencies (as required) and other professionals.
Leader
- Allocate finite healthcare resources appropriately (i.e. referrals to other professionals, community resources)
Health Advocate
- Respond to individual patient health needs and issues as part of patient care. Advocates for individual patients around relevant health matters.
Scholar
- Maintain and enhances professional activities through ongoing self-directed learning based on reflective practice.
- Critically evaluates medical information, its sources and its relevance to their practice, and applies this information to practice decisions.
- Facilitate the education of patients, families, trainees and other health professional colleagues, and the public, as appropriate.
Professional
- Demonstrate a commitment to their patients, profession, and society through ethical practice.