FAQ
"I AM NOT A GOOD TEST TAKER. IS THAT A PROBLEM?"
No, it's not a problem. I will take that into account when I analyze your test results. The main reason that many people are not good test takers is probably test anxiety, which is very common. Anxiety affects how well we focus, and then we may not be able to recall things that we would be able to recall when we are more relaxed. So, the most important thing for you to do leading up to a neuropsychological evaluation may be simply this: Don't worry! The evaluation actually will very likely be less stressful than you think.
"CAN I BRING SOMEONE TO MY APPOINTMENT WITH ME?"
Yes, you can. That person can participate in the interview that we do at the beginning of the evaluation. It can be very helpful for a person who is close to you to tell me their observations of you, such as how you do in your daily life in remembering things, focusing or concentrating, making decisions, and so on. That person cannot be present during the testing portion of the evaluation, but can be involved again the in last part of the evaluation, when we talk about the results.
"WILL MY INSURANCE COVER NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION?"
Most insurances cover neuropsychological evaluations. Please refer to the Insurance Information page for more information. Some insurance plans require prior authorization or have coverage restrictions based on diagnosis. Our office will make every effort to assist you in confirming your insurance coverage before your appointment, but it is your responsibility to know your own insurance benefits and coverage requirements. You are ultimately responsible for your bill.
"WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE WHEN A PERSON IS HAVING PROBLEMS IN THEIR THINKING SKILLS?"
1) Cognitive rehabilitation works on problems in attention/concentration, memory, executive functions, and other areas, including helping you to improve those skills, and teaching you compensatory strategies to work around those problems. Cognitive rehabilitation is usually provided by a speech-language pathologist.
2) Occupational therapy can provide a person with skills and strategies to help reduce the impact of memory or other thinking problems on day-to-day functions such as cooking, money management, and keeping track of medications.
3) Medical treatments for memory and other thinking problems may include diagnosing and treating any medical causes of or contributing factors to those thinking problems, such as any medical conditions (e.g., sleep apnea, migraines) that may be contributing. Also, some medications are intended to help specifically with memory and other thinking problems.
4) Psychological counseling or psychotherapy is often helpful when a person is having problems with their memory or other thinking skills. This is because people often develop depression and/or anxiety in reaction to problems in their thinking.
There are also things you can do on your own, to understand any deficits that you have in your thinking skill sand to work on improving them. We can discuss those.