A family has noted the following behaviors in one of their elderly parents: periodic indecisiveness, forgetfulness, mild transient confusion, occasional misperception, distractibility, and occasional unclear thinking. Where on the continuum of cognitive responses would this patient be?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: At point 2. This patient's symptoms indicate mild cognitive impairment, which falls between normal age-related decline (point 1) and dementia (point 3). Mild cognitive impairment involves noticeable cognitive changes but does not significantly interfere with daily functioning. Point 1 is too mild for the symptoms described, and point 3 is too severe as the patient's symptoms are not indicative of full-blown dementia. Therefore, the patient is best placed at point 2 on the continuum of cognitive responses.