Assessment of the Geriatric Patient pg. 26-33

Physical Health - history taken, physical examination, diagnostics, nutritional assessment, medication review

• Most frequently used criteria for evaluating drug use is the Beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. PLUS, the medication appropriateness index (valid tool use along with the beers criteria
• Common to rule out orthostatic hypotension in older adults due to volume depletion and medication effects. Drop in systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 20 or diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 10. An increase of heart rate at least 30 beats per minute is also abnormal. Wait 3 minutes to take pressures
• Screening for hearing loss can be accomplished using a handheld audiometer which is more accurate than the whispered voice test
• Loss of lean body mass, a decrease in the basil metabolic rate, and an increase in body fat a nutrient
• rich diet is required to meet these changing needs
• obesity is the most common nutritional disorder

Functional Health - activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, sensory assessment (hearing, vision), gait and balance

• Katz Activities of daily living scale
• Lawton and Brody Scale for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
• Falls are a leading cause of death and disability in the older adult.
  • Hendrick II Fall Risk Model
• Mobility: Timed Get Up and Go Test- Observed for unsteadiness as the patient gets up from a chair without using the arms, walks 10 feet, turns around, walks back, and resumes a seated position. Time should be less than 16 seconds
• Gait and Balance – Tinetti’s Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment............. Continue