Neuropsychology for Adults
HOW TO PREPARE AND WHAT TO EXPECT
Is there any way to prepare for a neuropsychological evaluation?
These are not tests that a person can study for, but there are several things that one can do to facilitate the evaluation:
• If the patient has difficulty providing information about their history, it is helpful for a family member or friend to accompany them to the intake interview. This is especially critical if there are suspected memory or cognitive impairments.
• The patient should bring a current list of ALL medications and doses, as well as any relevant medical records. If you do not have a copy of your own medical records, please contact the hospital or physician who treated/referred you to have copies sent.
• It is helpful if the patient can provide records of previous neurodiagnostic testing (e.g., brain scans such as CT or MRI scans) and/or results from previous neuropsychological evaluations.
• Bring reading glasses and/or hearing aid (if applicable).
It is the goal of the neuropsychologist to get the best possible picture of the patient’s current functioning. Several things can interfere with this goal, such as if the patient is:
• Excessively tired or fatigued
• Not motivated to put forth their best effort
• Very emotionally distraught or experiencing symptoms of a psychiatric condition
• Under the influence of medications or illicit substances which interfere with cognitive functioning
Patients should let Dr. Konrady know if they anticipate that any of these issues are likely to interfere with the evaluation.
The patient is offered breaks throughout the testing session, and will be excused for a one hour lunch break around noon. You are welcome to bring any drinks or snacks that you prefer. If testing is not able to be completed in one day, a second testing session will be offered to accommodate your needs. This sometimes occurs within the context of poor focus, slow processing speed, excessive anxiety, or low tolerance for cognitively demanding tasks.
It is important to get a good night’s rest before the evaluation. Patients who live far away might consider spending the evening prior to the evaluation within Sioux Falls rather than awaking early to drive to the evaluation. Patients are encouraged not to consume any alcohol 24 hours prior to the evaluation. If taking sleep medicine, patients should check with their doctor whether it might affect test performance the next day.
Patients should not worry about whether they will “pass” the tests. The tests cannot be passed or failed. Rather, they describe how well a person performs relative to same aged peers.
Download New Patient Forms
Please download this package, complete and submit prior to the intake interview.
If you have trouble downloading, contact us.
Schedule Intake Interview
Schedule the intake interview to start your neuropsychological testing.