The 21 year old man functions so well in the Young Adult Program that is offered in the public school district. Although his math and language skills are far below his age level, he has many tasks that he is able to complete on his own after he has received instruction.
For example, the young man is able to sort and shred papers that are collected from the district. The job coach has broken this task down into three steps. Step one, separate the papers into two stacks, one with staples, one without staples. Step two, use the staple remover to take out any of the stables. Step three, now that all of the staples are removed, run the papers through the shredder.
It may seem like a very simple project, but for a student who has demonstrated on every neuropsychiatric evaluation he has taken that he can become quickly overwhelmed with jobs that require six or more steps, this three step task is a perfect match for his skills.
What Is Involved in a Neuropsychiatric Evaluation?
Not all care solutions are easy. If you have a loved one who does not succeed in all areas, a neuropsychiatric evaluation can help pinpoint the types of jobs, tasks, and services that might be the most suitable. The three parts of neuropsychiatric evaluations can be helpful in assessing the details:
- Review of records. This part of the evaluation looks not only at medical records, but other records like prescription history and treatment schedules.
- Personal interview. This part can include a personal interview, as well as an interview with caregivers, family members or employers who know the person well.
- Testing. This part of the evaluation will be a series of tests that will seek to measure the person’s abilities and moods.
Inpatient mental health facilities can administer this and other types of evaluations to determine what kind of care is needed. If the tests are done at a setting where a team of specialists can work together, the interdisciplinary team of neuropsychiatric hospital doctors, including psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists, and medical doctors will be able to make a more thorough recommendation about the possible care options for both young adults and members of the geriatric community.
Who Might Benefit from a Neuropsychiatric Evaluation?
Teams who are able to work collaboratively to evaluate chronic behavioral and emotional disorders may have the best success at developing the most comprehensive care plan for the following individuals:
- The 7.7 million people who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- The 15 million people who suffer from a social anxiety disorder.
- The 47.5 million people worldwide who suffer from dementia.
- The 7 to 10 million people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease.
- The more than 5 million people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
- Any other patient who has struggled to function in other behavioral settings.
We live in a world where educators, parents, doctors, and other experts struggle to find solutions to the appropriate care for millions of people who fail to function in many societal situations. Instead of pointing fingers and placing blame, the most comprehensive facilities are working together to provide a holistic approach to providing a successful setting. For example, one solution might be to have an individual live in a residential setting, but have a job coach who can make sure that the patient is able to successfully function at a job for part of the day. Starting with a caring environment that is able to facilitate the cooperation of night time staff, employment coaches, medical and psychiatric care staff, and mentors is the secret to this kind of solution.
If a family has to travel from one facility to another in search of testing, diagnosis, and recommendations, the chance for success of many patients will be limited. Instead, families should seek out care from a facility that provides a safe and comforting environment, along with innovative facilities which are enhanced by a full menu of care options through committed clinical and non-clinical staff.
If this type of setting seems like a dream to you, it may be that you have not yet been looking at the right places. Basic nursing homes or a minimally staffed facility simply will not be able to provide the kind of care that you want for your loved one.