You’ve started checking your calendar several times a day because you no longer trust yourself to remember appointments. Or perhaps someone keeps asking about a conversation you had earlier that morning. When memory feels less reliable, it can be difficult to decide whether to mention it to a professional or just wait and see.

Persistent, worsening, or disruptive memory changes deserve attention. A neuropsychological evaluation can help clarify your cognitive strengths and difficulties and guide recommendations for everyday life. Seeking answers doesn’t mean assuming the worst, but it does mean giving your concerns a careful, individualized assessment. 

At Michelle C. Delehant, Ph.D., Inc., we provide neuropsychological evaluations for memory concerns in adults and older adults. Our approach considers how you function in daily life and what you hope to understand through testing.

Everyday Forgetfulness Versus a Meaningful Change

Occasionally misplacing something or needing extra time to recall a name can happen at any age. A more concerning pattern involves repeated difficulty with information or activities that used to feel familiar. 

For example, forgetting where you set your phone and finding it after retracing your steps differs from repeatedly losing belongings without being able to reconstruct what happened. Similarly, an occasional mistake while paying bills differs from increasing difficulty understanding or managing those bills.

The useful question is whether your abilities have changed from your usual level. Consider how often problems occur, whether they’re becoming more noticeable, and whether they affect responsibilities or safety. You don’t need to wait until you lose independence to discuss a concern.

Signs That It’s Time to Discuss Memory Testing

A conversation with a healthcare provider is especially worthwhile when you notice patterns such as these:

• Repeatedly asking for information you recently received or forgetting recent conversations.
• Having increasing difficulty completing familiar household or work tasks.
• Becoming disoriented on a familiar route.
• Struggling more often to find words or follow a conversation.
• Needing substantially more assistance with responsibilities you previously managed yourself.

Describe specific situations when you seek help. “I forgot two appointments this month despite putting them on my calendar” gives a clinician more useful information than “My memory is terrible.” If someone close to you has noticed changes, ask whether they would be comfortable sharing examples, with your permission.

Memory Problems Can Have More Than One Explanation

Forgetfulness doesn’t  automatically indicate Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, medication effects, thyroid problems, and vitamin B12 deficiency are among the issues a medical provider may investigate. Some contributors can improve with appropriate treatment.

This is why a medical appointment is an important starting point. Your provider may review your medications, examine you, and recommend laboratory tests or other investigations. Neuropsychological testing complements that work by examining thinking abilities in greater detail, but it doesn’t replace the medical assessment.

At our practice, we also evaluate attention problems in adults. When scheduling a consultation, mention concerns about concentration as well as memory. Let us know whether these difficulties have been present for years or represent a recent change. Your history helps shape the questions the evaluation needs to address.

You Can Benefit From Evaluation While Still Living Independently

Being able to shop, prepare meals, and manage your home doesn’t rule out a cognitive concern. Mild cognitive impairment, often called MCI, involves changes in memory or other thinking abilities while a person remains largely independent.

MCI is not the same as dementia, and it does not inevitably progress to dementia. Some people remain stable or improve, while others experience further decline. A clinical assessment helps determine what is happening now and whether monitoring or additional care is appropriate.

If you’re still managing your responsibilities but have growing concerns, describe the effort involved. Are you relying on reminders much more than before? Have you stopped doing certain activities because they feel harder? These details can help your clinician understand changes that may not be obvious during a brief conversation.

What a Neuropsychological Evaluation Can Clarify

A neuropsychological evaluation examines several aspects of thinking rather than treating memory as one isolated ability. Depending on your concerns, testing may address learning and recall, attention, language, processing speed, planning, and problem-solving.

The neuropsychologist interprets performance alongside your history and daily functioning. That broader picture can help clarify diagnostic questions, identify abilities you can draw on, and guide practical recommendations. Results may also provide a baseline for comparison if repeat testing becomes clinically appropriate. 

No single score explains every memory problem. The assessment may identify questions that need further medical investigation, and results can’t predict every future change. Its value lies in making decisions with better information about your current functioning. 

A Brief Screening May Leave Questions Unanswered

A short cognitive screening during a medical visit can help identify possible concerns, but it’s less detailed than a comprehensive evaluation. A result within the expected range doesn’t always exclude a problem. If difficulties persist or family members continue to notice changes, ask your provider whether additional testing would be useful.

What to Expect During the Evaluation

The process generally begins with an interview about your concerns, health history, and background. With your permission, a loved one may contribute observations. You then complete selected tasks that may involve answering questions, remembering information, writing, or solving problems.

Some activities will feel easier than others. You’re not expected to answer everything correctly. Give your best effort and tell the examiner if fatigue, discomfort, hearing, or vision is affecting you. Testing often takes several hours. 

At Michelle C. Delehant, Ph.D., Inc., testing is tailored to the concerns discussed during your initial consultation. Rather than arriving with a diagnosis already in mind, you can bring the questions that matter most to you: What has changed? What remains a strength? What should I do next?

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

Bring a current medication list, relevant medical records, and any previous testing reports. Write down when the changes began and a few examples of how they affect you. A trusted person who knows your usual functioning may be able to help you prepare that history.

Aim for adequate sleep beforehand, bring glasses or hearing aids you use, and follow the office’s preparation instructions. Continue medications as prescribed unless your clinician tells you otherwise. There’s no need to practice memory tests to prepare.

When Memory Changes Need Immediate Medical Attention

Sudden confusion or an abrupt, unexplained change in awareness requires emergency medical attention. Call 911 rather than waiting for a routine neuropsychological appointment. Confusion after a head injury or accompanied by loss of consciousness also warrants emergency help.

A scheduled evaluation is useful for understanding ongoing concerns after urgent medical needs have been addressed.

Memory Evaluations in Mokena, IL, With Michelle C. Delehant

It can be uncomfortable to admit that something feels different, especially when you’re accustomed to managing everything yourself. You can start with a simple description of what you’ve noticed. You don’t have to know the cause before asking for help.

Michelle C. Delehant, Ph.D., brings more than 25 years of experience in neuropsychological testing to our Mokena, Illinois, practice. We evaluate memory concerns in adults and older adults and develop recommendations around each person’s needs. Our female-owned practice is neurodiversity affirming, LGBTQ friendly, and attentive to clients’ cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

We offer in-person appointments in Mokena and telehealth options. Contact us to discuss the format appropriate for your evaluation. We also accept Medicare. Our office currently requires Medicare clients to have an order from their primary care provider faxed to us at least two weeks before their appointment. Please contact us about coverage and scheduling requirements.

If memory problems are making everyday life more difficult, contact Michelle C. Delehant, Ph.D., Inc., to request an appointment. We can help you take the next step toward understanding your concerns and planning appropriate support.