Practical strategies are offered to support clinicians in (a) identifying clients who may be experiencing cognitive difficulties, (b) recognizing risk factors for acquired brain injury, and (c) adapting clinical practice to support clients, with a view to optimizing treatment engagement and retention.

Objectives:

• Learn how to recognize, identify, and screen for cognitive impairment.
• Develop an understanding of factors that may contribute to cognitive impairment in SUD, including risk factors for acquired brain injury.
• Consider practical, evidence-based compensatory strategies to adapt clinical practice to support clients with cognitive impairment.
• Where indicated, understand referral processes for, and optimal timing of, neuropsychology assessment at Turning Point

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About the presenter

Georgia Bolt is a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist working at Turning Point and Austin Health providing neuropsychological assessment and consultation for adults with a range of co-occurring neurodevelopmental, neurological, medical, mental health, substance-related, and neurodegenerative conditions within acute inpatient and community outpatient settings.

She works collaboratively with clients/consumers, their supporters, and other multi-disciplinary clinicians across the healthcare sector to inform comprehensive formulations, differential diagnosis, and guide future management, including addressing cognitive, behaviour, and decision-making capacity related issues, and, where indicated, supporting clients/consumers to access disability supports.

Georgia is also completing a PhD at Turning Point Eastern Health Clinical School/Monash University investigating a novel personalised mHealth cognitive intervention for middle-older adults drinking at harmful/hazardous levels in the community. She has authored academic manuscripts and co-authored a book chapter on Cognitive Assessment, Management and Training in AOD settings, presenting at national and international conferences.