Over the last 2 decades, there have been multiple studies evaluating ED detection of cognitive impairment specifically focused on
dementia. Our scoping review identified more than 45 manuscripts
addressing accuracy of detection of cognitive impairment or dementia, 66 addressing pragmatic and practical ways for this detection, and
21 manuscripts overlapping in both.
Approximately 40 percent of people living with dementia discharged from the hospital will experience an adverse event (ED revisits, other hospitalizations, or death) in the 30 days following discharge, a rate significantly higher than for those without dementia.
Emergency care for older adults is suboptimal, and care is especially poor for older adults with dementia, even though these adults seek ED-based care more regularly than matched controls. The GEAR Detection Work Group examines the potential role of the ED in dementia detection.
