Orientation refers to the cognitive ability of an individual to know who they are, where they are, and what day and year it is. Assessment of orientation is an important part of any mental status examination, as it helps to evaluate the changes that a disease process may have brought about.
Disorientation is typically an indicator of early stage Alzheimer's disease, and may result in fearfulness, anger or agitation. People with Alzheimer's disease can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may forget where they are or how they got there. They generally lose their sense of time first, followed by place. The sense of self may be lost during the late stages.
The components of orientation to time include the time of day, the date, the day of the week, the season, the month, and the year. Orientation to place is assessed by asking where the person is currently, where she lives, the city, state, building and floor. Assessing orientation to one's self may include questions about name, age, previous occupation, and identities of relatives.
