Seniors
Senior Health Assessments
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Assessments are Key to Well-Being
Having a medical assessment is a little like having an accountant help you do your income tax. Assessments take a look at the "bottom line" in your health. They are used to evaluate your current health and in the process may help diagnose any problems you may be experiencing. Some questions that might be asked during an initial assessment include:
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How are you feeling?
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What illness or surgeries have you had?
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How's your life going on a daily basis?
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Do you need help?
Find more information about health assessments.
What’s in a Health Assessment?
The three main categories of health assessments are:
- Routine Screenings
- Functional health assessments
- PRI (Patient Review Instrument) for entry to a skilled nursing facility (nursing home)
What’s in a Routine Screening?
A routine screen involves looking for a specific problem, condition or disease. Some screenings check for diseases that can affect anyone, such as skin cancer. Others, such as for tuberculosis, are recommended only if you have certain known risk factors.
The following links describe screening tests for adults 50 years of age and older:
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American Academy of Family Physicians recommendations for periodic health examinations.
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American Academy of Family Physicians. Assessing your risk for diabetes.
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American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommendations for Glycemic Control.
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American Cancer Society detection and symptoms for breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon and rectum cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer.
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American Social Health Association for information on Chlamydia.
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Center for Disease Control screenings for Type 2 Diabetes.
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Iron Disorders Institute recommendations for Hemochromatosis detection.
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National Osteoporosis Foundation guide to prevention and treatment.
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United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention.
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United States Preventative Services Task Force, Lipid Disorders.
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United States Preventive Services Task Force screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
What’s a Functional Assessment?
In a functional assessment, doctors evaluate a senior’s general health. This assessment could include:
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Health risk appraisal
- Physical examination and physical functioning
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Dementia screening for cognition and mood
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Medication review and counseling including immunization status (influenza, tetanus, pneumococcus)
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Nutrition screening
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Review of social support and lifestyle, including care givers
What’s a PRI?
PRI stands for Patient Review Instrument. A PRI is mandated by law before any senior can enter a skilled nursing facility. PRI’s are valid for 30 days and are used to determine the level of care and the type of facility required.
A PRI assessment is very thorough and includes:
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Medical condition
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Treatments and medications needed
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Special diets or therapies needed
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Physical and mental abilities and limitations
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Ability to perform acts of daily living such as eating, moving and toileting
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Behaviors such as aggressiveness and disruptiveness
Who Performs Medical Assessments?
At Strong Health, a team of professionals trained in many different geriatric specialties performs assessments. We call this the "multidisciplinary" approach. Team members can include: