---
title: "The SLUMS exam: Saint Louis University mental status test"
description: "What the SLU Mental Status exam checks, who it is for, how it is given and what to do after, based on Saint Louis University guidance."
url: https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/slums-test/
updated: 2026-10-10
site: Senior Choice Care
---

Explainer

# The SLUMS exam: what it is and what to expect

The SLU Mental Status exam, often called the SLUMS, is a short screening for memory and thinking changes in older adults. Here is what it covers and what happens next.

**2 minute read** Updated October 9, 2026Written by the Senior Choice Care team

In short

The SLUMS, or Saint Louis University Mental Status exam, is a free screening for mild cognitive impairment and dementia, designed for adults 60 and older. Health and social service professionals give it after watching a training video. It measures attention, recall, orientation, calculation, visual-spatial skill and executive function. A result guides further evaluation.

**Written by the Senior Choice Care team** Updated October 9, 2026. Facts are checked against the sources listed at the end of this page. General information; every family is different.

**On this page**

1. [ What the SLUMS covers](#s-what-the-slums-covers)
2. [How it is given](#s-how-it-is-given)
3. [After the exam](#s-after-the-exam)
4. [Questions families ask](#s-faq)

## What the SLUMS covers

Saint Louis University describes its questions as measuring:

- Attention, immediate recall and orientation
- Memory after a delay
- Number calculation
- Time-limited recall
- Visual-spatial ability and executive function
- Recall of a short story

We don't reproduce the exam. Saint Louis University notes it is a standardized screening, and changing the wording can affect the validity of results.

## How it is given

- In private, in the person's primary language
- On paper, because some questions involve drawing. SLU says it is not designed to be given by phone or video.
- Without aids such as calendars or phones
- Only if the person can see and hear well enough, with glasses or hearing aids if needed

The university says it should not be used for people whose thinking is affected by conditions such as traumatic brain injury, developmental disability or schizophrenia.

## After the exam

Like any screening, the SLUMS flags whether more evaluation is needed. The National Institute on Aging notes that several conditions can cause memory problems, so ask the doctor what other causes they want to rule out.

## Questions families ask

### Who can give the SLUMS exam?

Health care and social service professionals, after watching Saint Louis University's training video.

### Is the SLUMS free?

Yes. Saint Louis University offers the exam free of charge.

### Can the SLUMS be done online?

SLU says it is not designed for phone or virtual use, because some questions require drawing on paper.

### Is the SLUMS available in other languages?

SLU's Geriatric Education Center has 23 professional translations, which should be given by a trained professional fluent in that language.

## Sources

- [Saint Louis University: SLU Mental Status Exam](https://www.slu.edu/medicine/internal-medicine/geriatric-medicine/aging-successfully/assessment-tools/mental-status-exam.php)
- [National Institute on Aging: What is dementia? Symptoms, types and diagnosis](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis)

## Read next

- [Cognitive tests](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/cognitive-tests-for-dementia/)
- [MoCA test](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/moca-test/)
- [Signs of dementia](https://seniorchoicecare.com/guides/signs-of-dementia/)
- [Assess](https://seniorchoicecare.com/assess/)

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