ABSTRACT

Cognitive impairment and dementia are public health concerns with significant financial implications for both individual households and public insurance systems. Though research has refined diagnostic tools for cognitive impairment and dementia diseases, little attention has focused on how cognitive decline may impact financial security. Research indicates that financial decision-making may be one of the first cognitive abilities impacted by cognitive decline, putting individuals at risk of financial fraud and exploitation. However, financial decision-making is not directly assessed in cognitive screenings. Identification of prodromal decline in financial decision-making may help individuals to preserve their financial security and reduce the likelihood of relying on public benefits. This commentary outlines the need for social workers and researchers to better understand the relationship between cognitive health, financial decision-making, and financial security in later life to formulate culturally responsive strategies that can uphold and benefit financial statuses, especially for minoritized communities.

摘要

认知障碍和痴呆症是公共卫生问题，对个人家庭和公共保险系统都有重大的财务影响。尽管研究已经改进了认知障碍和痴呆症的诊断工具，但很少有人关注认知能力下降如何影响财务安全。研究表明，财务决策可能是受认知能力下降影响的首批认知能力之一，使个人面临财务欺诈和剥削的风险。然而，财务决策并未在认知筛查中直接评估。识别财务决策的前驱下降可能有助于个人保护其财务安全并减少依赖公共福利的可能性。