Geriatric Medicine

Question 1

What is a comprehensive geriatic assessment?

Answer 1

A comprehensive, multidisciplinary progress to determine the medical, psychological, and functional capacity of the elderly patient in order to develop a plan for treatment and follow up

Question 2

What are the giants of geriatric medicine?

Answer 2

Immobility

Instability

Intellectual decline

Incontinence

Iatrogenesis

Question 3

What are the social, environmental, and belief components of the comprehensive geriatric assessment?

Answer 3

Social - Social supports

• Living arrangements

Environment - Home safety

• Transport/community access

Belief - Religion

• End of life care

Question 4

What are the medical, functional and neurophysiological components of the comprehensive geriatic assessment?

Answer 4

Medical - List of co-morbidities and disease severity

• Medication review
• Nutrition and dentition

Functional - ADLs

• Gait and balance
• Continence

Neurophysiological - Cognition

• Mood

Question 5

What is frailty? What are its 5 defining features?

Answer 5

Increased susceptibility to injury or harm

1. Slow movement speed
2. Exhaustion
3. Weakness
4. Unintentional weight loss
5. Low physical activity