Survey Title: Functional cognition screening to detect subtle difficulties in everyday activities in older adults: which tool is fit for purpose?

University Affiliation: The University of Sydney, Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Sydney School of Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine and Health

Ethics Approval/Reference Number: 2024/HE000329 (The University of Sydney HREC)

Principle Researcher: Dr Jacqueline Wesson

Supervisor(s): N/A

Purpose of study: We are looking for older people to join our study. They may have healthy cognition (no cognitive impairment), mild cognitive impairment, or mild dementia and they will help us test whether a menu task or lacing task screening tool can identify subtle or early changes in functional cognition (using thinking and memory to do everyday activities). Results from this study may lead to better detection of early change and identify people at risk of dementia.

Our ‘functional cognition’ study is a sub-study of the C-STAM study (details in flyer) with data shared between the two to fully examine the short screening tests by comparing them to a full OT standardised assessment (completed in C-STAM). This study is funded by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation 2023 Dementia Grants Program (Dr Stuart and Bonnie Bartle Project Grant).

What’s involved? [1] Participant signs up to the C-STAM study (details in flyer). [2] On completion, the C-STAM team will refer the participant back to our study. [3] Our study will ask the participant to complete two brief screening tests (no prior experience required) – the Menu Task (5-10 min) and the Large Allen Cognitive Level Screen (LACLS-5) (10-20 min), and then do a short survey (10 min) at the end, asking about the participant’s experience with these two tests. [4] This can be done in a 1-hour sitting in the participant’s own home or at the University of Sydney office – as per their preference. [5] A $30 Coles/Woolworths group gift voucher will be given to thank the participant for their time.

Participation Criteria: participants must be: [1] aged 60 or above, [2] fluent in English and able to provide informed consent, and [3] based in Sydney. We are particularly interested in recruiting people with a known or suspected diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, however people with healthy cognition are also welcome to participate.

Survey Link: Flyer and expression of interest page: bit.ly/fcscreening.

Contact Details: Email the Team at Functional cognition screening study fcscreen.study@sydney.edu.au or call study coordinator Amy Tan on 02 9351 9815

End date for survey: December 2025 (rolling recruitment until target numbers are met).