Citation

Aamodt WW, Terracina KA, Schillerstrom JE. J. Elder Abuse Negl. 2014; 27(1): 65-73.

Affiliation

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , Department of Psychiatry.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08946566.2014.952484

PMID

25133870

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether squalor-dwelling Adult Protective Services (APS) clients were more cognitively impaired than non-squalor dwelling APS clients referred for decision-making capacity assessments.

METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective medical record review of neuropsychological and demographic data gathered during decisional capacity assessments. Squalor-dwelling was defined by unsanitary living conditions that posed a danger to the occupant's health or safety. Mean neuropsychological test scores were compared between squalor-dwelling (n = 50) and non-squalor dwelling (n = 180) subjects.

RESULTS: Squalor-dwelling clients were significantly younger than non-squalor dwelling clients. There were no distribution differences between gender, education, race, or rural-dwelling status. Although both groups performed poorly on each neuropsychological measure, squalor dwellers demonstrated better memory and general cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS: Cognition, depression, gender, race, education, dementia diagnosis, and rural-dwelling status seem insufficient to explain squalor-dwelling behaviors. Other biological and psychosocial variables should be considered.

Language: en