The Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUMS) is a brief oral/written exam given to people that are suspected to have dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. The exam serves as a tool to indicate whether a doctor should consider further testing to diagnose dementia. The SLUMS was created by the Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Saint Louis University. Early detection of dementia may lead to treatment that slows the disease. This exam is brief and easy to administer. The SLUMS is widely used by professionals.
DOWNLOAD THE SLUMS EXAM INSTRUCTIONS
DOWNLOAD THE SLUMS EXAM IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Unlike the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), a similar exam, the SLUMS is not proprietary, it is absolutely FREE to use. There is also another, newer exam available for use and download – the Test Your Memory (TYM) Alzheimer’s exam.
If you administer this test on someone, remember that it is just a tool designed to assist in determining a dementia diagnosis. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have dementia, see your doctor.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I would like to look at the SLUMS Mini mental exam.
Thank you
Dorothy Anderson
E-mail me at aging@slu.edu and I will send you a pdf of the SLUMS exam as well as a file of instructions. Thank you for your interest.
–Nina Tumosa
I have updated the link in this post. It now goes to the most current version.
I copied the SLUMS but would like information on the how to interprete the results such as pt unable to answer #__ which is indicative of….
I have a few questions in relation to administering and scoring the SLUMS.
1. Question#6: Are all animal resposes excepted ?(Ex: Birds, rodents, reptiles…)
2. Question #7: Do all five objects have to be recalled in the exact order they were given?
3. Question #8: Do you give each individual number set them get their response before going on to the next number set or do you list all three (87, 649, 8537)set and then have the patient reply?
4. #10: Does the X have to be within the confines of the triangle or can it extend beyond the diagram?
Thanks you for clerifiying these scoring instructions.
Sincerely,
Linda A. Armstrong, RN
Geriatric Assessment Coordinator
Dear Linda,
Thank you for your interesting questions. I have answered your questions IN CAPITAL LETTERS right after your questions below.
1. Question#6: Are all animal responses excepted ?(Ex: Birds, rodents, reptiles…)
YES, ALL ANIMAL NAMES ARE ACCEPTED. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR A FARMER TO NAME ALL FARM ANIMALS OR A BIRDER TO NAME 20 DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS. I ONCE HAD AN ENTOMOLOGIST NAME 6 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANTS AND 11 DIFFERENT KINDS OF SPIDERS (I GAVE HER FULL CREDIT EVEN THOUGH I PERSONALLY DON’T KNOW IF SHE WAS RIGHT OR NOT. ANYONE SHOWING THAT MUCH IMAGINATION IS NOT YET COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED).
2. Question #7: Do all five objects have to be recalled in the exact order they were given? THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE RECALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE GIVEN.
3. Question #8: Do you give each individual number set them get their response before going on to the next number set or do you list all three (87, 649, 8537)set and then have the patient reply? GIVE THEM EACH OF THE NUMBERS SEPARATELY: EIGHT,SEVEN AND ONCE THEY RESPOND WITH SEVEN, EIGHT GIVE THEM THEN SIX, FOUR, NINE AND ONCE THEY RESPOND WITH NINE, FOUR, SIX (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CANNOT DO THIS QUESTION) THEN GIVE THEM EIGHT, FIVE, THREE, SEVEN
4. #10: Does the X have to be within the confines of the triangle or can it extend beyond the diagram? IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE TRIANGLE
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF OUR TRAINING DVD (YES, IT IS ON LINE BUT SOME PEOPLE DO NEED TO TRAIN PERSONNEL IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS NO INTERNET ACCESS) THEN JUST CONTACT ME AT TUMOSAN@SLU.EDU, GIVE ME YOUR MAILING ADDRESS, AND I WILL SEND YOU A COPY OF THE DVD. –NINA
I was wondering what the benefit of using the SLUMS as opposed to the Folstein’s Mini Mental Exam would be? I do like the SLUMS but it doesn’t help to gauge stage of dementia.
Is there a different test to use when our client is visually impaired?
If not how would you score this test if visually impaired?
When we have a patient who is visually impaired we eliminate questions 9 and 10 which reduces the scoring from 30 to 24.
Then, in order to determine which scoring range the new number is in, we do the mathematical comparison.
For example, a score of 20 out of 24 is equivalent to 25 out of 30 and you score the person as having a 25: i.e., 20/24 equals 25/30.
Hello, Is there a coding & reimbursement site for the SLUMS exam ? Thank you
There is no billing code for the SLUMS exam. However, its use allows you to bill at a higher level of visit.
Message for Laura Cardillo:
The SLUMS exam score has ranges that predict the level of dementia just as the Folstein Mini-Mental does but it also shows the level of cognitive impairment, in the absence of dementia; i.e., the SLUMS exam is more sensitive and specific. It is sensitive in the range of mild cognitive impairment.