Functional assessment in the elderly
Authors: Maxted G
Publication Year: 1998
Last Updated: 2016-02-22
Journal: IHS Primary Care Provider
Keywords: elder, assessment, ability, movement, mortality, health care cost
Abstract:
Among the elderly, physical function may be one of the most important aspects of well-being. Always at the heart of geriatric care, functional assessment is a challenge to measure accurately and reliably. This article looks at functional assessment in the elderly and tools to measure functional ability. Functional assessment has been shown to be important in predicting mortality, hospitalization, and health care cost. The authors advocate for health care providers to find out about recent changes in functional status as a primary health care concern. It is an important measure of disability and frailty, as well as an outcome for comprehensive geriatric assessment. The authors encourage the use of the Adult Functional Assessment form for all adults as they age. The assessment can provide a useful baseline and monitor for ongoing health maintenance. The Geriatric Assessment Flow Sheet provided in this article may also be used to determine which elders might benefit most from comprehensive geriatric assessment. Functional assessment is an essential component of elder care. The authors recommend that the Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban programs adopt a standard form for documenting the functional assessment of elders.
Source: Link to Original Article.
