The Rookwood Driving Battery: normative older adult performance.
OBJECTIVE
The current study aimed to obtain older adult normative data on a neuropsychological battery in relation to functions underlying driving ability. The effect of age on performance on the battery was previously unknown; normative data revision was necessary to enable more appropriate use of the battery with older clients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
Volunteers were sought from healthy older people living independently in the community to complete the Rookwood Driving Battery. A group of 202 volunteers above the age of 70 were recruited from local social groups to complete the battery. Of these, 184 completed a screening test of cognitive integrity (Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE). The age ranged from 70 to 96 (mean age=81 years, SD=5.438). In the total sample, 155 (77%) were females.


RESULTS
Results of the MMSE indicated that 161 (87.5%) of the group fell above a cut-off (25/30) typically used in epidemiological studies to identify age-related cognitive decline. Of these cognitively intact volunteers, performance was marked by higher battery error scores (mean=5.12, SD=3.75) than those observed in an earlier normative study using younger volunteers below 70 years of age (mean=1.41, SD=1.87). The two age groups differed significantly on all 10 battery subtests; in all cases the level of significance was .002 or less; for nine subtests, significance fell below .001. In the 'intact' older group, battery performance was observed to be closely related to score on the MMSE, a test of general cognitive integrity (r=.558, p=.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Performance on the Rookwood Battery differs for the over 70s and under 70s. The authors suggest essential modifications in its use with older people.
Rees
Janice
J
Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, Ty Dafydd Unit, Ystrad Mynach Hospital, Gwent, UK. janice.rees@gwent.wales.nhs.uk
McKenna
Pat
P
Bell
Vaughan
V
Skucek
Emily
E
Nichols
E
E
Fisher
P
P
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001076:Aptitude; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data