Executive function in self-neglecting adult protective services referrals compared with elder psychiatric outpatients

Psychometric performance, with an emphasis on executive function, was compared between adult protective services (APS) clients referred for a decision-making capacity consultation and elders seen in an outpatient geriatric psychiatry clinic.

The authors performed a retrospective medical records review extracting general, executive, and visuospatial cognitive performance and depression symptom burden in APS referrals (N = 63) and geriatric psychiatry outpatients (N = 58).

After adjusting for age and education, APS clients had worse mean executive performance as measured by the Executive Interview (24.3 [SD 6.4] versus 17.3 [SD 7.6], F[1, 87] 15.7, p <0.001) and CLOX1 (7.4 [SD 4.0] versus 9.3 [SD 4.2], F[1, 92] 4.79, p = 0.03). There were no differences in visuospatial or general cognitive abilities. The self-neglect subgroup had worse cognitive performance on each measure than other APS referrals.

Compared with routine geriatric psychiatry patients, APS referrals are more likely to be executively impaired but less depressed. General cognitive screens do not distinguish these two groups.