ABSTRACT
Researchers and practitioners in geriatric neuropsychology are faced with many challenges that neuropsychologists working with younger populations may not experience or may experience to lesser degrees. For example, the elderly as a group tend to have more medical problems than younger individuals, thus requiring more medications, both of which have the potential to impact cognition. In addition, decrements in cognition are associated with the “normal” aging process. Estimates indicate that prevalence rates for dementia for those over 85 years of age are between 25% and 50% (American Psychiatric Association, 1997). With base rates that high for dementia, and with others experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment, patients, families, and other referral sources may not get the easy answer they are looking for to the question, “Is it Alzheimer’s or just normal aging?”
