OBJECTIVES : Utilizing a daily assessment design, the current study sought to examine the extent to which older adults’ cognitive functioning exhibits short-term fluctuation.

METHODS : The study consisted of 206 community-dwelling older adults with an average age of 73 years (range 60 – 94; SD = 7.00). The sample was comprised of 57% females and was 30% African American. After completing a baseline battery of tests, participants completed a computerized cognitive battery on eight different occasions within a 2-week period. This battery included measures of processing speed, memory, inductive reasoning, and executive functioning.

RESULTS : Multilevel modeling results indicated that the amount of variability within participants over 8 occasions was significant and comparable to the variability between participants. Older age, depressive symptomology, and high stress levels were significantly associated with increased daily variability in cognitive test performance. In contrast, more years of education and better self-rated health was significantly associated with less daily variability in cognitive test performance.

CONCLUSIONS : The findings from this study suggest that older adults’ cognitive functioning from day-to-day is highly variable and that this inconsistency may be associated with a number of psychosocial and health factors. Consequently, assessments of cognition on a single occasion or occasion separated by weeks or months may not be an adequate approach for assessing older adults cognitive functioning.