What to Expect in an Adult / Geriatric Neuropsychological Evaluation

On the day of the evaluation, the neuropsychologist will first conduct a clinical interview in which they will talk with you to understand any concerns you and your family may have regarding your cognitive functioning. If a family member comes to the evaluation with you, the neuropsychologist may ask for your permission to interview him or her as well. During this interview, the neuropsychologist will also review your medical/psychological history and educational background.

After the interview, the "testing" portion of the evaluation is conducted. The tests involve answering questions, writing, drawing, solving puzzles, and responding to things presented on a computer. Some of the tests are perceived as easy and others may be difficult. The most important thing is to try your absolute best, regardless of how difficult (or easy) you perceive a test to be.

The clinical interview and testing are usually completed in one day and takes 3-4 hours. Breaks are provided throughout as needed.

After the evaluation day, the neuropsychologist then spends several additional hours interpreting the results. All relevant information is put into a written report that includes potential diagnoses and outlines treatment recommendations tailored specifically for you and/or your loved one. In addition to the written report, a feedback session is conducted, where the results and recommendations are discussed with you and your family. The feedback session is a crucial part of the entire neuropsychological evaluation as it allows the neuropsychologist to explain concepts and review recommendations in plain language so that they can be readily implemented by you and/or your family.