WHEN IS COGNITIVE / NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING APPROPRIATE?

American Psychological Association

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Authors

Why Practitioners Need Information

Demographic Realities

Myths About Older Adults

Realities of Aging

Psychological Problems of Aging

Assessment of Older Adults

Psychological Intervention

Professional Concerns

Conclusion

Professional Resources

Bibliography

Because a significant number of clients in geropsychiatric inpatient and outpatient settings are cognitively impaired, psychologists are often called upon to perform cognitive testing.

Five of the major reasons for such assessment are:

1. To evaluate cognitive ability
2. to detect and monitor cognitive changes
3. to evaluate dementia
4. to assist with the differential diagnosis of dementia versus depression
5. to help determine competency.

Brief Assessment of Cognitive Ability
Assessment of Acute and Reversible Changes
Assessment of Dementia
Assessment of Depression Versus Dementia
Competency

ASSESSMENT OF DEMENTIA SHOULD INCLUDE TESTS OF:
	Attention/Concentration Short- and long-term memory and delayed recall Reasoning ability Language Executive functions Visual-motor skills