tailieunhanh - FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ELDERLY

One of the most daunting of stockpiling issues continues to be medications, both the everyday medications used by our residents, and the potential of stockpiling antibiotics, vaccines, and antiviral agents. This will take very serious consideration of such issues as appropriate storage, shelf-life, prioritization of limited supplies, and the protection of these materials during disasters (Florida Health Care Association 2007). LTC staff look to their employers to provide guidance, education, protection, and a safe workplace. LTC administration must look to public health and emergency management for guidance in these areas | FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ELDERLY Objectives To determine who should have a functional assessment. To describe the type of screening used in evaluating frail and cognitively impaired older adults including the function and use of the following screening instruments Katz ADL Scale Lawton-Brody IADL Scale Get Up and Go Test and Timed Get Up and Go Test Clock Drawing Test Mini-Mental Exam Geriatric Depression Scale. To understand how functional assessment benefits the patient and family. Overview With the aging of the population more frail patients are being seen by their primary care physicians. Frailty is more often seen in patients 75 and older who have cognitive or physical impairments that interfere with the performance of their activities of daily living. Physical frailty is defined as dependence in at least one activity of daily living or cognitive deterioration or decreased outside mobility. The prevalence of frailty is somewhat difficult to determine but of those living outside of institutions 5 to 8 of persons over 65 and more than 33 of those over 85 need assistance with at least one basic activity of daily living. In 1997 there were over million elders who reported having difficulty carrying out activities of daily living ADL s and million who indicated difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living IADLs . ADLs include bathing dressing toileting transferring continence and feeding. IADLs include ability to use the telephone shopping food preparation housekeeping laundry using transportation responsibility for medications managing money using the telephone doing housework and responsibility for taking medications. Age remains the best indicator of morbidity and morbidity determines the increasing use of health care services. Many frail elderly have multiple health problems accompanied by multiple medications. Their medical and psychosocial problems are difficult to address in a simple visit to their primary care physician. .