Geriatric assessment.

A comprehensive geriatric assessment involves the evaluation of the physical, psychosocial, and environmental factors affecting the health of an elderly person. In the office setting a geriatric assessment is best accomplished by the use of screening questions, which are incorporated into the patient's medical questionnaire; the use of validated, brief screening tests that measure the patient's performance of daily living activities, cognition, nutritional status, and risk of falls; and a review of the patient's personal values and social support network. The screening assessment can be completed in an average of ten minutes by using self-administered questionnaires and brief performance-based measures of physical functioning. The comprehensive assessment performed on the initial visit with an elderly patient will help to (1) improve diagnostic accuracy, (2) guide the selection of interventions to restore or preserve health, (3) recommend an optimal environment for care, (4) predict health outcomes, and (5) monitor clinical change over time. The effectiveness of geriatric assessment has been demonstrated in clinical trials and is likely to be most effective when conducted by the patient's primary care physician.