THE TIMED TEST OF MONEY COUNTING - A SHORT PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE-TEST FOR MANUAL DEXTERITY AND COGNITIVE CAPACITY

The competent handling of money is an essential basis for living indep endently. Seventy-eight consecutively admitted patients to a geriatric hospital underwent the Timed Test of Money Counting (TTMC) which meas ures patients' ability to open a purse, take out all the money and cou nt it. Further assessment included Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE ), Barthel Index of ADL, Self-maintaining and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), grip strength and Williams' Board Test. The TT MC was reliable (inter-rater and intra-rater) and showed construct and concurrent validity with other measures of physical function. Unlike many other physical performance tests the TTMC is quickly performed an d requires no special equipment or training.