Assessment

Question 1

What are the areas of assessment in a geriatric visit?

Answer 1

Cognition/memory

function (ADL and IADL)

mood

mobility

nutrition

continence

vision

hearing

ETOH use

caregiver

social/economic issues

Question 2

Mini Mental Status Exam:
-testing what 5 areas?

What is another way to assess mental status?

Answer 2

Tests:

• orientation
• registration
• attention/calculation
• recall
• language

Clock drawing; have them place hands at “20 past 8” or “10 past 11”

Question 3

What are basic ADLs?

–what scale is used to determine competency of ADLs?

Answer 3

ADLs:

• personal hygeine
• dressing/undressing
• eating/feeding self
• transferring from bed to chair and back
• toileting
• continence
• communication
• visual capability
• use of upper extremities

*the physical self-maintenence scale determines whether or not you are competent w/ ADLs.

Question 4

What are IADLs?

–what questonaire is used to determine competency of IADLs?

Answer 4

IADLs:

• obtaining and preparing food
• manage transportation
• -driving, bust schedule, taxi, shopping, cooking
• laundry
• housekeeping
• using the telephone
• managing finances
• medication

Functional Activites Questionaire determines competency of IADLs

Question 5

How do we test depression and mobility in the geriatric population?

Answer 5

Geriatric depression scale

Mobility: get UP and GO test

Question 6

What is one way we assess nutrition in the geriatric population?

Answer 6

WEIGHT!!! its a VS!

Question 7

Which test can be done to assess for macular degeneration in the elderly?

What types of questionnaires are done to assess alcohol use in the elderly?

Answer 7

Amsler Grid

CAGE Questions 
Geriatric MAST (score of 5 or more is indicative of alcohol problem)

Question 8

What are some aspects of caregivers that make them especially vulnerable to stress ?

Answer 8

Their own frailty;

• spouse is caregiver
• 70YO caregiver to 90YO patient
• ETOH
• Depression
• Illness
• caregiver demands (Sandwich generation)

Stressful aspects of the patient:

• disturbed nights
• uncontrolled aggression
• wandering and falling
• uncontrolled incontinence
• inability to walk without assistance

Question 9

At the end of your initial office visit you should have a good sense of what three things?

Answer 9

Good sense of medical conditions, social situation, and functional status.