Are you concerned developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in the future?
WPAPC offers a brief, yet comprehensive evaluation of cognitive functioning before you begin to notice cognitive changes or memory loss.
FAQ:
Why would I need a baseline neuropsychological assessment?
The assessment is used to establish a “baseline” or document a person’s skills at the onset or before cognitive problems arise. In this way, later changes can be measured very objectively.
Example:
Joe is a 52 year old man whose father and grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease. He does not currently have symptoms but has begun to worry about the possibility of memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease as he grows older. Joe completed a baseline neuropsychological assessment and found out that he performed not only in the normal range, but often much better than his peers, even in tests of memory. This was helpful to calm Joe’s worries about memory problems at the time of the evaluation, and having the baseline assessment enabled him to undergo repeat testing years later to quantifiably determine whether his scores had decreased compared to others of his same age and background.
Who is appropriate for a baseline assessment?
Individuals over age 45 who are concerned about developing dementia and/or want to establish a set of cognitive test scores for future comparison.
Who is not appropriate for a baseline assessment?
Individuals who are experiencing current symptoms that suggest a potential current diagnosis of a cognitive problem. These individuals may benefit from a traditional neuropsychological evaluation, as this may not be reflective of their “baseline.”
What happens during the evaluation?
You will complete about 90 minutes of pencil/paper measures of your thinking skills (such as memory, attention, thinking speed) and a brief interview about your background.
What can I hope to get out of a baseline evaluation?
When you begin to notice cognitive changes, doctors are often limited by having no objective comparison. A baseline evaluation provides you with numbers against which you can compare later scores.
What is the cost of the evaluation?
The cost of the baseline evaluation is $600. We are unable to participate with insurance plans for baseline evaluations. You will have sole discretion in releasing your results.