FAST Stage 6 Scoring
Stage 6 on the Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST) represents severe dementia with significant impairment in basic activities of daily living (BADLs), though the provided evidence does not contain the specific detailed scoring criteria for this individual stage.
What the Evidence Shows
The FAST scale is based on the Global Deterioration Scale for typical Alzheimer's disease dementia and uses a structured interview format, typically administered by interviewing the care partner 1. The scale:
Consists of items rated on a 4-point scale (0,1,2,3) where:
- 0 = performs task normally
- 1 = mild impairment
- 2 = moderate impairment
- 3 = severe impairment
Overall range is 0-60, progressing from independent to dependent functioning 1
Symptoms typically progress in sequence in typical AD dementia, though atypical dementias may not follow this pattern 1
Stage 6 Context
Recent research indicates that Stage 6 represents a transition point in severe dementia where cognitive testing becomes less discriminatory. When differentiating FAST Stage 5 from Stage 6, cognitive assessments show only moderate discrimination (AUC = 0.77), with broader domain involvement across multiple functional areas 2.
Stage 6 is often used as a benchmark for determining preliminary eligibility for palliative or hospice care in patients with severe dementia 1.
Clinical Application
The FAST has been validated in both primary and specialty care settings and can be administered by clinical or non-clinical staff 1. It is particularly useful for:
- Tracking BADLs across the full spectrum of dementia stages
- Longitudinal monitoring as disease progresses
- Care planning decisions in advanced dementia 3
Common pitfall: The evidence provided does not include the complete FAST staging criteria with specific descriptors for each stage. For the detailed Stage 6 criteria, clinicians should reference the complete FAST scale available through the Alzheimer's Association resources 1.