Cognitive Aging Efforts

The science and practice of psychology are integral to efforts to promote healthy brain aging and prevent dementia and slow its progression, to assess, diagnose, treat and support individuals with dementia, and to lighten the burden of the families and institutions that care for them. Aging and the Committee on Aging provide consultation to APA entities, psychologists, policymakers and the public regarding normal cognitive aging and dementia issues.

Highlighted below are dementia and other age-related cognitive change resources.

• ABA/APA Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity Handbook Series
  Publications designed for lawyers, judges, psychologists and other health care providers.

• APA Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-related Cognitive Change (PDF, 488KB)opens in new window
  Evaluation guidelines developed for psychologists.

• "APA Handbook of Dementia" (2018)
  Glenn E. Smith (Ed.)
  This book addresses assessment, comorbidity, evaluation and treatment of various forms of dementia.

• Cognitive Problem Assessment Tools
  Description of screening tools, brief cognitive evaluations, and neuropsychological evaluation for care-recipients, also from the APA Family Caregivers Briefcase.

• Healthy Brain Research Network webinaropens in new window  
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights a discussion with three psychologist journal editors.

• Interventions for Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia
  A limited set (non-comprehensive) of evidence based programs are described in the APA Family Caregivers Briefcase .