Services for Adults Aged 55+ Years
COMPLETE THIS INQUIRY FORM to initiate a conversation with Dr. Meuser about potential services for you, a loved one, or another need. He will email to schedule or call you directly based on your expressed interests. Dr. Meuser offers clinical evaluation services and other professional aging-related consultation (e.g., to health and long-term care facilities, corporate entities, government). Targeted evaluation for fitness to drive a motor vehicle and decisional capacity are also offered. He does not provide ongoing psychotherapy services in most instances, but collaborates with others who do and offers referral options if therapy is needed.
Gerontology-Related Education Services. In addition to the listed clincial services, Dr. Meuser also shares his expertise in applied gerontology through formal lectures, workshops, and courses. Offerings may be in-person and/or online. He partners with community groups and organizations to address topics of mutual interest. He strives to be honest, hopeful, and evidence-based in this presentations. He invites engagement and employs humor to create an atmosphere for meaningful sharing. As a retired university professor, he has the skills and interest to develop new presentations to meet specific learning needs. His favorite topics include: Reminiscence & Life Review for Healthful Aging, Understanding Memory Loss, Navigating Cognitive Change in Aging, Medical Fitness to Drive & Timing the Decision to Retire, Loss & Grief Processes in Major Life Transitions, Assistive Technologies for Ongoing Wellness, and Understanding & Surmounting Ageism. Any of these could be single lectures, applied workshops (i.e., to include professionals), or multi-meeting courses.
Here's an example of a course. Fill out the interest form or contact Dr. Meuser by email to learn more.
Service 1
Health & Wellness Consultation with immediate feedack and subsequent brief written report.
Service 2
Neurocognitive Screening Evaluation with immediate preliminary feedback and subsequent written report.
Service 3
Neuropsychological Evaluation with immediate preliminary feedback and subsequent detailed written report. Scroll down after clicking the link above.
Choosing the Right Service for Your Needs
Dr. Meuser specializes in evaluation and providing professional guidance to individuals and families facing aging-related changes and challenges. All services include clinical impressions, recommendations, and referrals for supportive services (i.e., based on the data available at the time of consultation or evaluation).
SERVICE 1
“Something seems off. I am noticing changes,
but unsure what to make of them.”
Perhaps you or a loved one have noticed a change in memory, mood, function, decision-making, or personality. It might involve forgetfulness, social withdrawal, negativity, impulsiveness, financial victimization, loss of functional success, or another concern for personal wellness and independent living.
Perhaps you have asked a physician or other professional about it, or maybe this is your first effort to investigate it. Might this be normal aging? Something abnormal and potentially serious? What to do next?
If this description fits you, then a Wellness Consultation may be a reasonable next step. Dr. Meuser will learn about your concerns, screen for cognitive change, assess mental status and mood, discuss his impressions, and offer feedback. This home or secure video chat-based evaluation takes 1-2 hours.
SERVICE 2
“Something is clearly wrong. What are my next steps?
I need guidance.”
You or a loved one have clear concern(s). You know the situation is not normal, and you are worried about the future. You have received support from a physician or other professional already. Still, you have questions and doubts. Specifics are lacking and the path forward feels uncertain.
If this description fits you, then a Neurocognitive Screening Evaluation may be a reasonable next step. Dr. Meuser will take a broad look at functional wellness and administer a series of cognitive tests. He will quantify current mental status (i.e., overall cognitive function), share initial diagnostic impressions, make recommendations, and prepare a typed report to share with other professionals.
This home-based evaluation takes 2-3 hours for interview, functional assessment, and neurocognitive testing. Dr. Meuser's neurocognitive screening test battery takes 45-90 minutes to complete and includes measures of mental status, attention, memory, executive functioning, and visual-spatial skills. This level of testing is often enough to clarify diagnostic impressions and develop reasoned plans for the future.
SERVICE 3
“Observed symptoms are inconsistent & confusing.
We need diagnostic clarification.”
Perhaps there’s a family history of Alzheimer's disease, stroke, or another neurodegenerative condition (e.g., Lewy Body disease, Parkinson's disease, Primary Progressive Aphasia, multiple strokes). Deficits impact on functional wellness, but their pattern and/or severity in daily life are tough to quantify. There's a lot of variability. This uncertainty complicates diagnosis, treatment, and/or care planning.
If this description fits for you, then a Neuropsychological Evaluation may be a reasonable next step. Your physician may have suggested this option and even made a formal referral. Often the only way to know a person’s true functional capacity is to test for it. Such testing challenges a person's capilities, looking for both relative strengths and weaknesses. A detailed report provides diagnostic and care guidance.
This home-based evaluation takes 3.5-5 hours in most cases. A full neuropsychological evaluation involves a clinical interview, tour and discussion of how you function in your home, and 2+ hours of neurocognitive testing. Rest breaks are included. Tests focus on attention, processing speed, language, memory, executive functioning, visual-spatial skills, and other brain functions.
Dr. Meuser employs both "paper and pencil" and tablet computer-based tests. His approach incoporates current best practices in geriatric neuropsychology which emphasize supporting older adults to perform at their best (e.g., in the face of fatigue or anxiety) while challenging their abilities to identify relevant deficits which may explain observed symptoms and suggest courses of future treatment and personal adaptation.
What if I need psychotherapy or another treatment?
You will receive referrals for such needs. Dr. Meuser does not provide psychotherapy, counseling, or other ongoing mental health treatment in most instance. He will consult with clients over time, however, and in response to observed changes or needs. He will also work with clients to identify appropriate psychotherapeutic, caregiving, and other health and wellnesss services in their communities. The Area Agencies on Aging in Maine are also wonderful resources for learning about treatment and care options.