Allen Cognitive Scale

The Allen Cognitive Scale is a tool we use to create a personalized recommendation for care. Created by occupational therapist Claudia Allen, it’s a sophisticated way to identify a resident’s abilities, monitor change over time, help plan treatment and guide placement in our residences.

There are six levels in the Allen Scale:

• Level 6: independent in daily care, finances and decision-making skills; is comfortable learning information
• Level 5: independent in daily care; may need assistance with finances, decision making and organizational skills; may encounter subtle problems with memory; is comfortable learning new information
• Level 4: physically independent with daily care, but needs assistance to initiate or monitor quality of care; needs increased assistance with all cognitive skills; memory challenges have increased; may not anticipate possible dangers or consequences; success is noted with structure and repetition; needs assistance to live in the community 
• Level 3: Full assistance is required with daily care, including cognitive skills such as initiating, sequencing, judging, problem solving and decision making; has significant memory impairment; has difficulty with language and expressing needs, as well as understanding others; requires 24-hour supervision
• Level 2: Dependent on care providers; has significant impairment of all cognitive skills, including loss of language skills, and a decrease in motor, visual and perceptual skills. requires 24-hour supervision
• Level 1: All basic needs must be met by a caregiver