Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Flashcards
What is frailty?
State of susceptibility, caused by progressive accumulation of damage to a complex system resulting in aggregate loss of system redundancy. Frailty is associated with impairment or organ function, dyshomeostasis. This leads to a reduced ability to withstand illness without a loss of function
What features are indicative of frailty
unintentional weight loss, poor grip strength, slow walking sped, low physical activity
What illness do frail people present with?
F unctional impairement R esidential home A cute confusion I mmobility L ist of six or more medicines
What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
A patient centred assessment that looks at a wide range of problems within the individual such as physiological, behavioural, spiritual, environmental, social and societal
What factors are involved within a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
Medical Spiritual Psychological Functional Behavioural Nutritional Environmental Social Societal
What is involved within the medical assessment of geritric care?
Assess pathological disease and what’s physiological. Whats reversible and whats non reversible. Assess the medications that the patient is on.
What is involved within a spiritual assessment of geriatric care
What is involved during the psychological assessment of the assessment?
What is important to the patient, there beliefs, self image and the meaning of their life
mood (depression/anxiety), confidence and cognition
What is involved within the behavioural assessment?
What is involved within the nutritional aspect of the assessment?
Unhealthy eating/smoking/drinking habits. Activities and pastimes, occupation.
Poor nutrition leads to ill health. MUST screening tool
What is involved within the environmental aspect of the assessment?
What is involved within the social aspect of the assessment?
What is involved within the societal aspects of the assessment?
housing, heating, sanitation, adaptation
practical/emotional, formal/informal. Potentials for abuse financially, physical, sexual or neglect
Attitudes to ageing, assets vs burdens, paternalism, technological advancements, political beliefs.
Who is involved in the care of the elderly?
Geriatricians, OT, PT, skilled nurses, GP’s, social workers, home carers, dieticians, SALT
What are some aspects of good geriatric care?
GCA’s do not have to be carried out once a patient is sick. Good care idnetifies nened early on and provides appropritate levels of care fro needs. The earlier a person undergoes a CGA the better the outcomes are likely to be
What are the benefits and risks of being in hospital?
What is the key take home message then?
Benefits
Clinical expertise
Complex tests and interventions
Rapid and supervised care
Risks Disease acquired in hospital Disorientation, delirium Deconditioning and dependence Drug harm
Discharge when benefits wear off and before risks are too great
