DEMENTIA AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: MED SC-M 810 , 811 , 812 , and 813 Course Designation: Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Define mild cognitive impairment and dementia Audience: Graduate 2. Contrast cognitive changes found in normal aging with dementia Audience: Graduate 3. Describe the pathophysiology, risk factors, and presentation of the most common causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 4. List the expected clinical findings at each stage of dementia Audience: Graduate 5. List potentially reversible causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 6. Contrast dementia with delirium Audience: Graduate 7. Describe how a psychiatric interview should be modified when assessing a patient for dementia Audience: Graduate 8. List what questions are important to ask when interviewing a patient for dementia Audience: Graduate 9. Summarize when to use cognitive screening tools Audience: Graduate 10. List available bedside cognitive screening tools Audience: Graduate 11. Describe when a full neuropsychological eval may be indicated Audience: Graduate 12. Develop a treatment plan for persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 13. List medications that have been FDA-approved for treatment of dementia, including risks and benefits Audience: Graduate 14. List evidence-based psychosocial and educational interventions for persons living with dementia and their caregivers Audience: Graduate 15. Explain how persons living with dementia and their family members can plan for the future Audience: Graduate 16. List the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and their associations with various causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 17. Explain how BPSD arise Audience: Graduate 18. List medical problems that can cause BPSD Audience: Graduate 19. List medications and other substances that can cause BPSD Audience: Graduate 20. List evidence-based behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental interventions for BPSD Audience: Graduate 21. List evidence-based pharmacological options for BPSD Audience: Graduate 22. Describe the risks associated with the use of antipsychotics in dementia Audience: Graduate 23. Explain the risks associated with driving in persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 24. List other safety issues that arise for persons living with dementia and their caregivers Audience: Graduate 25. Define elder abuse, and describe the reporting requirements in Wisconsin Audience: Graduate 26. Describe the process of assessing a person’s capacity to make medical decisions Audience: Graduate 27. List the most common ethical dilemmas in the care of persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 28. Describe the role of cultural formulation in assessing persons with living with dementia Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Define mild cognitive impairment and dementia Audience: Graduate 2. Contrast cognitive changes found in normal aging with dementia Audience: Graduate 3. Describe the pathophysiology, risk factors, and presentation of the most common causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 4. List the expected clinical findings at each stage of dementia Audience: Graduate 5. List potentially reversible causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 6. Contrast dementia with delirium Audience: Graduate 7. Describe how a psychiatric interview should be modified when assessing a patient for dementia Audience: Graduate 8. List what questions are important to ask when interviewing a patient for dementia Audience: Graduate 9. Summarize when to use cognitive screening tools Audience: Graduate 10. List available bedside cognitive screening tools Audience: Graduate 11. Describe when a full neuropsychological eval may be indicated Audience: Graduate 12. Develop a treatment plan for persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 13. List medications that have been FDA-approved for treatment of dementia, including risks and benefits Audience: Graduate 14. List evidence-based psychosocial and educational interventions for persons living with dementia and their caregivers Audience: Graduate 15. Explain how persons living with dementia and their family members can plan for the future Audience: Graduate 16. List the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and their associations with various causes of dementia Audience: Graduate 17. Explain how BPSD arise Audience: Graduate 18. List medical problems that can cause BPSD Audience: Graduate 19. List medications and other substances that can cause BPSD Audience: Graduate 20. List evidence-based behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental interventions for BPSD Audience: Graduate 21. List evidence-based pharmacological options for BPSD Audience: Graduate 22. Describe the risks associated with the use of antipsychotics in dementia Audience: Graduate 23. Explain the risks associated with driving in persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 24. List other safety issues that arise for persons living with dementia and their caregivers Audience: Graduate 25. Define elder abuse, and describe the reporting requirements in Wisconsin Audience: Graduate 26. Describe the process of assessing a person’s capacity to make medical decisions Audience: Graduate 27. List the most common ethical dilemmas in the care of persons living with dementia Audience: Graduate 28. Describe the role of cultural formulation in assessing persons with living with dementia Audience: Graduate