The LOTCA battery is used to assess adult persons with neurological deficits and mental health. It includes 25 subtests in 6 cognitive areas, orientation, visual and spatial perception, praxis, visuomotor organization and thinking operations. Scoring is on an ordinal scale of 1-4 (1-severe deficit and 4-average performance), except for orientation scores that range from 1-8, and categorization where the range is 1-5. Reliability, validity and standards of performance, for the LOTCA, are available for brain injured adult patients, patients following stroke, schizophrenic patients, healthy adults and healthy children (see references). The instrument is available in English, Spanish and Hebrew.
The LOTCA-G is a version of the LOTCA battery for adults. The main changes relate to sensory motor deterioration in normal aging, therefore, items were enlarged, details were reduced, subtests were shorten so that the total time was reduced and memory subtests were added. The LOTCA-G includes 23 subtests in 7 cognitive areas, orientation, visual and spatial perception, praxis, visuomotor organization, thinking operations and memory. Scoring is on an ordinal scale of 1-4 (1-severe deficit and 4-average performance), except for orientation were scores range from 1-8. The test is a performance test with minimal verbal requirement except for orientation. Memory includes delayed recall and recognition. The test takes about 30-45 minutes to administer and total time is recorded. Construct validity was determined for the LOTCA-G comparing healthy elderly and patients following stroke as well as patients with dementia showing significant differences between the groups. Furthermore, taking into account also age related decline in cognitive function the battery was found to differentiate between healthy elderly and adults and those following stroke (Katz, Elazar, & Itzkovich, 1995; Bar Haim Erez & Katz, 2003). The instrument is available in English and Hebrew.
Noomi Katz, PhD, OTR The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah The School of Occupational Therapy Mount Scopus, P.O.Box 24026, Jerusalem 91240, ISRAEL Tel/Fax: 972- 2- 5324985; e-mail:
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Last Updated ( Friday, 05 May 2006 )
The Cognitive Performance Test (CPT)
By: Theressa Burns, OTR
The Cognitive Performance Test (CPT) is a standardized, performance-based assessment instrument, originally designed for the objective evaluation of function in Alzheimer’s Disease. The CPT is available for purchase through Maddack at: maddak.com . This instrument, based on Allen Cognitive Disability Theory, uses six common activities of daily living (ADL) tasks, for which the information-processing requirements can be systematically varied to assess ordinal levels of functional capacity. Six tasks, titled DRESS, SHOP, TOAST, PHONE, WASH and TRAVEL comprise the test. For each task, standard equipment, set-up and methods of administration are required. A gross level score is determined for each of the six tasks; these scores are then added for a total score and averaged (divided by 6) to determine the functional level and mode. The CPT was initially developed as a research instrument, to be used in longitudinal study of functional change and for serial assessment to detect change in response to a pharmacologic or environmental intervention. It currently serves as the functional assessment for the GRECC diagnostic work-up and has proved to be useful in the assessment of patients, with a variety of diagnoses, to predict and explain capabilities to function in various contexts.
For more information about the Allen Cognitive Disability Model and Allen-related trainings visit the Allen Cognitive Advisors, Ltd. website: www.allen-cognitive-network.org
The first International Occupational Therapy Survey performed on the OT Innovations web site in 2004 has been completed and the results are available! We hope this information will be both interesting and helpful to occupational therapists interested in what others are doing around the world!
A special thank you to Caitlin McKinnell, OT/S for categorizing and recording the results of the 2004 survey!
Should OT’s bill for services in acute care psychosocial practice?
For acute care hospitalization charges, clients receiving Department of Mental Health services are generally covered under the partnership payment system. For these clients, acute care OT services are included in their daily bed rate. For these individuals there is no additional billing. In most settings, all other clients should be billed for the skilled Occupational Therapy services they receive. However, the use of the appropriate CPT billing codes and documentation is required to receive reimbursement.
"Sensory Diet" Guides