| Question |
Answer |
| What age is considered geriatric? |
50 and up |
| What do all patients have in common? |
advancing age |
| What is aging? |
the body’s failure to be able to repair itself |
| What is geriatric assessment? |
a method of evaluating a patient for physical problems and illnesses, psychosocial issues and functional imparment |
| What are te 2 purposes of assessment? |
to help the patient maintain the highest quality of life in the most independent seting possible and to develop a comprehensive plan for treatment and rehabilitation. |
| Where are the 6 places we get information? |
quetionnairs, office staff, old medical records, family/caregivers, history/physical, and observation |
| What are the 5 Basic activity of daily living? |
dressing, bathing, toileting, transferring/mobility, eating |
| What are the 7 Intermediate activities of daily living? |
housekeeping/laundry, cooking, driving/public transport, shopping, telephone, taking medication, finances |
| What are the 3 things to take special attention to in history? |
medications, polypharmacy, polyphysician |
| What are the 5 special things to pay special attention to in physical? |
vision, hearting, muscle strength, mobility/balance, cognition |
| What are the 4 somatic problem areas of the elderly? |
cervical spine, upper thoracic spine, lumbosacral region, and gluteal/calf muscle weaknesses |
| What are cardiac physiologic changes? |
decline in stress induced maximal heart rate. LV mass and and stiffness increase, and early diastolic filling decreases |
| What are the pulmonary physiologic changes? |
FEV and FVC decrease 30 ml/yr, RV increases, decrease response to hypoxia and hypercapnia, PO2 decline |
| What are renal physiologic changes? |
GFR decreases 1% per year after 50. |
| What must you be aware of when ordering medications? |
renal function |
| What are hepatic physiologic changes? |
decrease albumin, blood flow, liver mass and enzyme activity |
| What is the physiologic change in body composition? |
increase body fat from 15% to 30%. Derease in muscle, water and bone mass. |
| What should you do if they have 8 or more medications? |
See what you can do to get them down to 7 IF you can |