Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)

Question 1

What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment?

Answer 1

“multidimensional interdisciplinary diagnostic process focused on determining a frail older person’s medical, psychological and functional capability in order to develop a co-ordinated and integrated plan for treatment and long term follow up.”

Question 2

1. What does the medical aspect of a CGA consist of?

2. Why is prompt diagnosis in the elderly even more important than the young?

Answer 2

1. Creating a problem list, identifying comorbid conditions and disease severity, medication review and nutritional status.
2. When they suffer from acute illness they have a much higher mortality rate.