Performance of normal older adults on tests designed to measure parietal lobe functions

Symptoms referrable to the parietal lobes, such as difficulty with dressing, unilateral neglect, or manual apraxia, are a frequent rehabilitation problem among stroke patients. Occupational therapists need an evaluation tool for parietal lobe functions and performance expectations for adults 40 years and older. A battery of tests designed to measure functions of the parietal lobes was given to 68 normal adults from 40 to 88 years of age. The test battery included drawings, stick designs, finger identifications, right-left identifications, arithmetic, clock settings, map localizations, block constructions, visual organization tasks, and visual discrimination tasks. Statistical analysis of the data revealed significant age-related changes on the constructional tasks, finger identifications, clock settings, visual organization tasks, and visual discrimination tasks. No significant age effect was found on right-left identifications, map localizations, or arithmetic. Implications for the evaluation and treatment of older adults in occupational therapy are discussed.