Geriatric Assessment and Health Maintenance Flashcards
Are there enough geriatricians to deliver care to the growing number of older adults?
No – there has been a steady decrease since 2000
Goals of a CGA
Provide an all-round evaluation.
Establish appropriate management for medical problems.
Improve the quality of life for frail elders.
Delay or prevent disability.
Delay or prevent institutionalization.
What is a CGA?
A multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary process as well as integrated plan of care to determine the medical, psychological, functional and social capabilities of “frail” older adults
Why is a CGA important?
increases life expectancy
What does a CGA allow you to screen for?
Age-related increase in morbidity
Age-related increase in use of medications
Age-related decline in physical function
Age-related decline in mental function
What is a CGA particularly useful?
Particularly useful in evaluating elder adults with multiple complex medical problems.
What are the Geriatric Target Conditions?
Dementia or delirium End-of-life care Falls or mobility disorders Malnutrition Pressure ulcers Urinary incontinence
What encompasses the cross cutting conditions?
Continuity of care Hospital care Medication use Pain management Screening and prevention
What are the steps of a CGA?
- Targeting appropriate patients
- Assessing patients and developing recommendations
- Implementing recommendation
Who needs a geriatric assessment?
all older person
What are the applying criteria for a geriatric assessment?
too sick to benefit
appropriate and will benefit
too well to benefit
Appropriate placement?
???
What are the characteristics of a pt that is too sick to benefit?
Critically ill or medically unstable
Terminally ill
Disorders with no effective treatment
What are the characteristics of a pt that is appropriate and will benefit?
Multiple interacting bio-psychological problems that are amenable to treatment
Disorders that require rehabilitation therapy
What are the characteristics of a pt that is too well to benefit?
One or a few medical conditions
Needing prevention measures only
What are the components of a CGA?
medical functional (physical) cognitive mood nutritional assessment other geriatric syndromes access to care and other facilities elderly saftey and security
What is involved with the medical portion of a CGA?
Medical problems
Medications – prescription
Medications – over the counter
What goes into the functional portion of a CGA?
Activities of daily living Instrumental activities of daily living Other functional status (Mobility) --Gait – Type of gait and gait speed --Balance --Strength – upper extremity strength, lower extremity strength
What is involved in the component of access to care and other facilities?
transportation
financial factors
What are the other geriatric syndromes to look at?
urinary incontinence
falls
frailty
sleep disorders
What is the medical component of the CGA?
Individualize treatment plan with the objective of improving functional status and quality of life
What are the types of treatment goals?
Cure
Prevention of complication
Control of symptoms and prevention of side effects of medications
Improve functional status
Assess (analyze) the risk-benefit ratio of treatment
What medications do we get from the patient?
get detailed list of all medications: Prescription medications Non-prescription medications including herbs, etc. Non-daily medications Ointments/creams/gels
What does the beers list help us with?
Useful to avoid using inappropriate drugs
What are the beers criteria?
Medications generally considered inappropriate when given to elderly people.
Medications listed tend to cause side effects in the elderly due to the physiologic changes of aging.
What do we look at when assessing the functional status?
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) Mobility, Strength and Vision: --Gait --Balance --Strength --Vision
What are the ADLs?
bathing dressing transferring walking eating grooming
How do we judge the ADLs and IADLs?
if they are independent, require assistance, or are dependent
What are the IADLs?
use of the phone transportation shopping meal preparation shopping meal preparation house work medical management management of finances
What is the prevalence of functional blindness (20/200)?
71-74 years 1%
>90 years 17%
NH patients 17%
What is the prevalence of functional visual impairment?
71-74 years 7%
>90 years 39%
NH patients 19%
What do we do to assess visual impairment?
annual eye examination
screening test
What is the prevelance of hearing impairment?
65-74 years = 24%
>75 years = 40%
What percent of those >85 years are deaf in at least one ear?
30
What can we do to assess hearing impairment?
audioscope
whisper test
What is an audioscope?
A handheld otoscope with a built-in audiometer
What is the definition of mobility?
Purposeful movement from one place to another independently.
Important items in mobility evaluation include:
Balance
Muscle strength
Gait speed
How do we assess gate speed? What does this determine?
(in meters or feet per second) - Slow gait speed predicts several adverse events including falls, disability, hospitalization and decreased survival.
What is the speed to safely cross a traffic light?
1.2 m/sec
What are tests that assess and screen for balance?
Tandem walk
Berg Balance Scale – may take longer time.
What does a Berg balance scale do?
Developed to measure balance among older people with impairment in balance function by assessing the performance of functional tasks. It is a valid instrument used for evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions and for quantitative descriptions of function in clinical practice and research.
What is the chair stand test?
- Observe is the patient is able to stand up from a sitting position without the support of his/her arms.
2a. If they are not able to stand up, STOP.
2b. If they are able to stand up: ask the patient to:
3a. Sit in a chair with back straight and arms over the chest.
3b. Stand up from sitting position as many times as possible in 30 seconds.
What does the chair stand test assess?
lower extremity muscle strength
What is the Timed “Get-Up-and-Go” test?
Can be done during a clinic visit: Ask patient to stand up from a sitting position Walk 10 ft (3 meters) Turn around and walk back to the chair And sit back in the chair
What does the get up and go test assess?
Simple test to evaluate lower extremity strength, balance and walking speed.