A practical approach to the psychological evaluation of elderly patients

Traditional psychodiagnostic batteries are not always appropriate for the evaluation of elderly patients. This paper presents a suggested evaluative package developed for use with a psychiatric geriatric population. Presented are four areas of assessment which include the following: (1) psychosocial history, (2) mental status, (3) basic living skills assessment, and (4) psychological testing. Each suggested component is discussed relevant to a geriatric psychiatric population. The psychological report is also discussed.