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How to Assess for Geriatric Care
by Susan Berg
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Overview
A geriatric care assessment consists of a thorough appraisal of a senior's ability to have good health, the likelihood of his avoiding hospitalization or long-term-care stays, and his potential to live independently as long as possible and to make his quality of life better. It is done on elders who are at risk for a physical and mental decline in health.
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Step 1
Determine the need for a geriatic care assessment, Often, people with memory loss or suspected dementia have geriatric care assessments. Changes in behavior, apparent physical problems, increased confusion, or a disheveled appearance signal the necessity for an assessment.
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Step 2
Examine the senior's physical health. This exam includes a medical history, with emphasis on the use of medications, the ability to walk safely, the presence of malnutrition, the risk of falling, and the state of the senior's bladder control. The physical exam identifies diseases and conditions that are treatable. Vision and hearing tests are part of this examination.
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Step 3
Perform a mental health exam. This tests for thinking, behavior, and a senior's emotional state. The goal is to detect dementia, delirium and depression should they exist.
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Step 4
Evaluate an elder's social support system. Determine the availability and capability of caregivers and the extent of the senior's assets. Also, the person's own assessment of his quality of life is ascertained.
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Step 5
Determine the ability to accomplish basic daily activities such as bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom and eating.
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Step 6
Examine higher-level daily activities such as meal preparation, light housework, shopping, the handling of financial obligations, the ability to take medication in the right dose at the right time, the ability to use transportation and the ability to use the telephone. An elder's living environment must be safe. He should be able to access essential services, such as places to shop and a drugstore.
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Step 7
Develop a care plan that addresses all the problems identified, proposes specific solutions or actions necessary, and makes recommendations required to provide any needed support services.
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- Do the geriatric care assessment as soon as possible. Have a professional perform the asssessment.
- Do the geriatric care assessment as soon as possible. Have a professional perform the asssessment.
- An elder may be resistant to having an assessment done, especially if there is a problem.
- An elder may be resistant to having an assessment done, especially if there is a problem.
