Elderly Driving Assessments: Professional Project, Jessica Mevius — OT Graduate Student
Elderly Driving Assessments
Professional Project: Jessica Mevius, OT Graduate Student
For the aging population, one of the most important occupations is maintaining independence through mobility for as long as possible.
Hooper Visual Organization Test (VOT)
Description
The VOT is a quick 15 minute screening designed to detect neurological impairment. The VOT is great for assessing clients who might otherwise be difficult to assess. The screening test measures an individual's ability to organize visual stimuli and it addresses both general and specific cognitive functions, including:
- Arousal
- Visual Analysis & Synthesis
- Concept Formation
- Short and Long-term Memory
- Written or Oral Labeling of familiar objects
This test has 30 line drawings, each showing a common object such as a ball or a pencil. Each drawing has been cut into several pieces. The pieces are scattered on the page like parts of a puzzle. The client's task is to tell you what the object is.
Many neurological tests measure speed of response, which can be adversly affected by depression, anxiety, motivation, biochemical shifts, and, of course, normal aging. The VOT does not measure speed of response; therefore, the VOT has no time limits. This makes it a more specific measure of visual integration that is diagnostically useful with a wide variety of clients, including the elderly.18
Intended Population
The VOT is widely used in clinics, geriatric facilities, private practices, as well as many other types of treatment programs.
Where to Obtain
The VOT typically costs around $200 for the kit and can be purchased at:
Who is originally responsible for this Tool?
H. Elston Hooper, Ph.D.
Assessment Comparison Matrix
Overwhelmed by all of the choices and assessment varieties? Included is a handy reference chart that will help in the decision making process.
Assessment Comparison Matrix