Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: Facilitating
Elder Independence
Five Thursdays, 7:00-9:00
PM
Dates: Sept 12, Sept 19, Sept 26, Oct 3, Oct
10
Campuses: Northridge, Long Beach, Sacramento
This extensive series provides knowledge of the major elements required for a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Whether you are new to the field or looking for a refresher course, you will be able to use the information provided to develop and implement your own geriatric assessment format and understand the relationship between elements of the assessment process and the care plan.
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The Basics of Comprehensive Geriatric
Assessment
Mental Status and Decision-Making Capacity
Assessing Functional Capability in the Older Adult
The Social, Sexual, Spiritual, Environmental, Nutritional and
Behavioral Aspects of Assessment
The Remaining Elements of the Geriatric Assessment Process;
Tying it All Together
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The Basics of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
September 12, 2002
7:00-9:00 PM
This initial session addresses three basic issues central to the
assessment process:
1. Introduction - The concept of a basic comprehensive Geriatric
Assessment is discussed, including the component elements that
make up the remaining sessions for this series. Links to the presenter's
book on Geriatric Assessment will be mentioned.
2. Building a working relationship - includes discussion about
issues that arise in making contact with older adults for the
first time, issues that make conducting geriatric assessment difficult
and some thoughts about overcoming these difficulties.
3. Care Planning - the principle reason for conducting assessments
is discussed. The relationship between assessment and care planning
is highlighted as are some of the ethical issues that need to
be addressed in the process of developing care plans. Care plan
alternatives are discussed.
Mental Status and Decision-Making Capacity
September 19, 2002
7:00-9:00 PM
1. Assessment of mental status and use of the Mini-Mental Status
Examination focuses on the intent and purpose of a mental status
screen, what it can and cannot do. Special attention is given
to how to implement and standardize a routine mental status screen
as part of the assessment process.
2. Assessment of decision-making capacity will introduce the idea
that decision-making is different from what is normally measured
in a mental status screen and requires additional assessment.
A method for determining whether clients can still make judgements
and decisions will be discussed along with the implications for
planning and intervention strategies.
Assessing Functional Capability in the Older Adult
September 26, 2002
7:00-9:00 PM
This session address the assessment of functional capability in
the older adult. Attention will be paid to those behaviors that
are normally included in such an assessment, with some discussion
of the relationship between functional assessment, medical conditions
and care planning. The session will also focus on the use of a
particular functional assessment instrument, the Determination
of Need (DON), which the presenter had a role in developing in
its current format. The unique aspects of the DON will be discussed
along with its utility for the care planning process.
The Social, Sexual, Spiritual, Environmental, Nutritional and Behavioral Aspects of Assessment
October 3, 2002
7:00-9:00 PM
This session will focus on several other aspects of client assessment
including:
1. Social assessment including assessing caregiver burden, the
social network of the individual and the current economic well-being
of the client.
2. Assessment of sexuality and spirituality in the older adult
and the need for assessing these areas of functioning.
3. Assessment of the living environment in which the client resides,
including the home and neighborhood in which the client lives.
Emphasis will be on how well does the physical environment meet
the client's needs.
4. Nutrition and behavioral health will be discussed including
some simple means for assessing the nutritional well-being of
the client and a look at health behaviors that my help or interfere
with the client's overall well-being.
The Remaining Elements of the Geriatric Assessment Process; Tying it All Together
October 10, 2002
7:00-9:00 PM
This final session will look at the remaining elements of the
assessment process and discuss tying the information together
into a useable report. Included in this session will be:
1. Information about gathering a medical history in those settings
that are not part of a broader health care setting.
2. Gathering some basic information about emotional well-being
with particular attention to the presence of depression in older
adults and other critical psychiatric symptoms.
3. Developing a system for integrating the information in a way
that ties a recommended care plan to the information in the assessment
and the outcomes that one hopes to derive from providing help.
Faculty
Gregory J. Paveza, MSW, Ph.D., ACSW, is Professor of
Social Work at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Paveza
has served as traveling faculty for the American Society on Aging's
Summer Series for many years. He also serves on the ASA Mental
Health and Aging Network Leadership Council. Prior to coming to
the University of South Florida, he served as a social work consultant
to the Home Care Division of Child and Family Services of Washtenaw
County, Inc. in Ypsilanti, Michigan as well as serving as an Assistant
Professor in the School of Public Health, University of Illinois
at Chicago. Dr. Paveza is considered one of the leaders in elder
abuse and neglect research in the United States. He has authored
numerous publications in journals and books on elder abuse and
neglect and geriatric assessment. He is one of the co-authors
of the Handbook of Geriatric Assessment, 3rd Edition, published
by Aspen Publications in 2000, which serves as the basis for much
of this workshop.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eric Baum, Senior Coordinator of Education and Training
American Society on Aging
833 Market St. Suite 511
San Francisco, CA 94103-1824
Phone 415-974-9649 Fax 415-974-0300
Email: ericb@asaging.org
Debra Sheets, RN, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Coordinator
Interdisciplinary Gerontology Program
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330-8285
Phone 818-677-2344 Fax 818-677-0245
Email: debra.sheets@csun.edu