When should a Neuropsychological assessment be considered?
“Joan aged 61 was hit by a car whilst waiting for a bus. At the scene she was unconscious for 15 minutes and on admission to hospital she was confused and disoriented, with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 12/15 indicating the probability of a moderate brain injury. After several months she had generally recovered however had ongoing problems with mood, concentration, memory and her ability to add up sums of money. She was referred for psychological assessment as part of the litigation process, her memory problems were noted and she was referred for neuropsychological assessment which indicated a decline in memory and executive function
(concentration, maths ability, attention, planning). These impairments were found to be consistent with her injuries and the initial loss of consciousness. She required extra support with tasks at home and financial decisions. With this knowledge she was supported to appoint a lasting power of attorney over her finances and was taught cognitive strategies’ to manage her memory problems”.
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