Dementia test

[Pudsey Bear]

First, take a blank piece of paper, ideally A4 size that allows the person to draw freely, then ask them to draw a clock.


Once they have drawn the clock face, ask them to put all the numbers in, and ask them to draw the hands onto the clock at a specific time - for example at 3.15pm.

According to UK Dementia Directory, the test should be judged by points, and the person gets one point for the following:

• How well the person drew the clock circle
• Has the person included all the numbers one-12
• Are all the numbers drawn in the correct order on the clock face and in the correct place
• Did they draw two hands on the clock
• Does the hands on the clock say the correct time you asked them to draw

According to the NHS, if it's carried out correctly, it "virtually excludes dementia because a wide range of cognitive skills are used".

The UK Dementia Directory urges people to encourage relatives or friends to do the simple, at-home dementia test if you suspect they may be suffering from memory loss, especially if it's going to be hard to get them to visit a GP.



If they struggle to draw the clock and the hands at a specific time, it can help encourage them to visit their doctor for further investigation.

If you have any concerns about the results of the test, for example if they didn't get full points, you should seek further advice from a GP.

 

[wildebus]

Interesting. Just tested the OH and she passed. Must be a different reason why she is loopy

PS. the time example of 3:15 is not very good. The two hands will be together (I told her 3:15 and then realised that was a bad example and changed it to 2:25 )

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I've seen it before, its 3.15 to see if they add two hands David, other options are 12, or 6.30 etc

 

[Burge]

I've seen it before, its 3.15 to see if they add two hands David, other options are 12, or 6.30 etc

Or 9.45

 

[wildebus]

I've seen it before, its 3.15 to see if they add two hands David, other options are 12, or 6.30 etc

Ah. so the test for that time is they are expected to only draw one hand? I missed that little "gotcha"

PS. They should draw 2 hands even at 3:15 if they are pendantic like me, as the hour hand should be drawn at 1/4 of the distance between the 3 and the 4
And 6:30 the hour hand is half-way, 9:45 the hour hand will be closer to the 10 than the 9 of course.
12:00 would be the time to go for where one hand will really cover the other

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I think you are being over pedantic approximate will do.

 

[wildebus]

I think you are being over pedantic approximate will do.

ok ... this is bugging me now

I just asked the OH to draw 3:15 on her clock face.... She did it exactly as I would - two hands with the hour hand a little lower to reflect it moving to the 4 position. Now this I would say is the correct way to show it.

But ... are they expecting people to actually draw ONE hand, or to draw TWO? I guess that is in fact part of the test, but while I know (IMO) the right answer, what is the EXPECTED answer - one or two hands?
(the other problem going forwards is more and more people will have no idea what an analog clock face looks like or how to tell the time with it the phrase "clockwise" confuses plenty )

 

[cheyenne]

what has Jeromy beagle & big ben have in common they both have a little hand & a small hand

 

[Pudsey Bear]

ok ... this is bugging me now

I just asked the OH to draw 3:15 on her clock face.... She did it exactly as I would - two hands with the hour hand a little lower to reflect it moving to the 4 position. Now this I would say is the correct way to show it.

But ... are they expecting people to actually draw ONE hand, or to draw TWO? I guess that is in fact part of the test, but while I know (IMO) the right answer, what is the EXPECTED answer - one or two hands?
(the other problem going forwards is more and more people will have no idea what an analog clock face looks like or how to tell the time with it the phrase "clockwise" confuses plenty )

I drew a square and in it I drew 15:15

 

[wildebus]

I drew a square and in it I drew 15:15

That is a modern answer....


Now you would have to worry (or maybe show extra respect?) if when asked to show 3:15, they asked you where is South as they use a sundial

 

[Trigger]

Don't you just love Digital Clocks ?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Don't you just love Digital Clocks ?

During the day no, at night yes.

 

[trevskoda]

My doc seen my watch and ask does it tell the time well, nop i said i have to look at it.

 

[Val54]

My doc seen my watch and ask does it tell the time well, nop i said i have to look at it.

That's a wind up ..............

 

[marchie]

I think you are being over pedantic approximate will do.

Because I am a pedant, Kev, can I make the point that your view of David's behaviour should be described as pedantic, and in posting this, I am practising pedantry; though I would mount the defence of accuracy and clarification, before drawing the clock inaccurately; not because I am in the early stages of dementia, rather because I would need to improve my artistic skills hugely to earn a ranking of 'crap', aka 'manurial rights' for the property owners in our midst ...

Steve

 

[trevskoda]

I started and forgot what i was doing half way through the test.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Because I am a pedant, Kev, can I make the point that your view of David's behaviour should be described as pedantic, and in posting this, I am practising pedantry; though I would mount the defence of accuracy and clarification, before drawing the clock inaccurately; not because I am in the early stages of dementia, rather because I would need to improve my artistic skills hugely to earn a ranking of 'crap', aka 'manurial rights' for the property owners in our midst ...

Steve

WHATEVER... if you were a real pendant, you might have noticed that I said I wrote 15:15, which might look a bit odd if I'd done the other instructions such as writing 1 to 12 clockwise.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I started and forgot what i was doing half way through the test.

No surprise there then.

 

[marchie]

WHATEVER... if you were a real pendant, you might have noticed that I said I wrote 15:15, which might look a bit odd if I'd done the other instructions such as writing 1 to 12 clockwise.

New, Kev, never clocked that ...

Steve

 

[gasgas]

I drew a square and in it I drew 15:15

My grandson brought his maths homework to me. Nowadays they have photocopied sheets, and the sums aren't "6 + 9 = ?" but pictures and words, and / or numbers. One question was written "Two nines?" and the expected answer was, I guess, supposed to be 18. I sniggered and thought why not just put down two nines, i.e. 99. Then I thought a bit more and suggested to grandson "What are two nines, a nine and a nine?" He said 'ninety nine'. I said "well done, so what is a 99?" He saw the joke and said "it's an ice cream with a chocolate stick". So I said "Draw an ice cream with a chocolate stick" which he did, giggling all the time and drew a picture of an ice cream with a chocolate stick. Then he added 99 next to it, just in case teacher didn't get it. We had great fun doing that homework. The next day I asked what his teacher said when she saw his answer. He said she laughed out loud, gave him full marks and a smiley badge.