Welcome to the GSA KAER Toolkit for Brain Health!

This toolkit helps primary care teams support brain health and cognitive impairment detection.

Recent scientific advances establish that:

  • Many strategies can help preserve brain health.
  • Having early conversations and making specific plans should start early as part of routine health care.

The GSA KAER framework was developed to meet the need to foster earlier, more meaningful discussions about brain health with older adults.

About the toolkit


Learn more about the development of the KAER framework and toolkit, the scope and intended uses of and terminology used in the toolkit, and additional brain health resources.

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Acknowledgments


Learn about our Expert Advisory Panel who inform ongoing updates to the KAER Toolkit for Brain Health and our KAER Supporters Circle members.

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Scope and Intended Uses

This toolkit provides practical approaches, educational resources, and validated clinical tools to help primary care teams implement the KAER framework as part of their efforts to support brain health and timely detection of and responses to cognitive impairment. The contents and selection of tools were developed with primary care teams as the principal audience. Others, including educators and students in disciplines such as medicine, nursing, and social work, may also find its contents useful. GSA recognizes that health care professionals outside the primary care setting also play a valuable role in detecting cognitive impairment (Chodosh et al., 2019).

This toolkit is divided into four primary sections to reflect each step of the KAER framework.

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Kickstart Webpage

Kickstart

Kickstart the brain health conversation. Discuss brain health, observe for signs and symptoms of cognitive impairment, and listen for patient and family concerns about cognition.

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Assess Webpage

Assess

Assess for cognitive impairment. Conduct a brief cognitive test and other structured assessments to detect cognitive impairment in a timely way.

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Evaluate Webpage

Evaluate

Evaluate for dementia. If cognitive impairment is detected, conduct or refer for a diagnostic evaluation.



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Refer Webpage

Refer

Refer for community resources. If dementia is diagnosed, refer the patient and family for community services and other resources.


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Practice Management

Access resources that support primary care teams in practice change initiatives related to brain health and help them ensure appropriate reimbursement for KAER-based care.

About GSA

The Gerontological Society of America is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. GSA’s principal mission — and that of our 5,500 members — is to promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision makers, and the general public. Founded in 1945, GSA is the driving force behind advancing innovation in aging — both domestically and internationally. Our members come from more than 50 countries. To further fulfill our mission, GSA assembles nearly 4,000 professionals from around the world at an Annual Scientific Meeting. This monumental event features more than 500 sessions each year. Additionally, we publish the field’s preeminent peer-reviewed journals.

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