Addressing the Need for Universal Cognitive Assessment Among Older Adults With Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) and cognitive impairment (CI) are common in older age and often occur together. However, CI is often unrecognized leading to more hospitalizations and increased morbidity and mortality in patients with co-occurring CHF and CI. Universal screening can help identify these patients earlier and the use of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) 4Ms Framework (i.e. "What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility") can serve as a tool for providers to meet patients' needs surrounding goals of care, medication regimens, mental and emotional well-being, and mobility capabilities through a social determinants of health lens. Providers should engage in serious illness conversations early to honor patient preferences, reduce polypharmacy, use a validated instrument to assess cognition such as the Mini-Cog or Functional Activities Questionnaire, and assess the need for assistance completing activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Consultation with social work is highly recommended given the complexity of the medical and social needs of newly discharged cognitively impaired CHF patients and the need to optimize the use of all available community resources.