Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Flashcards

1
Q

Define Frailty

A

A reduced ability to withstand illness without losing of function

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2
Q

explain aging & Redundancy?

A

Progressive Accumulation of damage to a complex system resulting in aggregate loss of system redundancy

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3
Q

Explain the term senescence?

A

Its the effect of aging:

Age related impairment of organ function & interplay between organs (aka dyshomeostasis)
–> Increased susceptibility to stress aka frailty

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4
Q

How do we determine if someone is frail?

A

There are some scoring systems and criteria such as the Fried criteria:
3+ of exhaustion, weak grip, slow walking, low activity and weightloss

It can be more helpful to think of “Frailty Syndromes”, the way frail people tend to present e.g. falls, immobility or delirium

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5
Q

What is a “Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment”?

A

A process to assess and manage illness in older people with frailty

Basically we go through multiple domains of health and determine what the problems/risks are, work out which we can improve/reverse and produce a management plan

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6
Q

A CGA doesn’t just cover medical problems, what other domains are of interest?

A
  • Spiritual (what’s important to this patient and their identity)
  • Psychological (mood, anxiety & cognition)
  • Function (mobility, daily activities etc)
  • Behavioral (work, hobbies etc)
  • Nutrition
  • Environment (house, heat & sanitation)
  • Social (support networks & abuse)
  • Societal
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7
Q

How do approach the medical side of a CGA?

A

We sort the reversible pathologies from the irreversible physiology of aging

Important to avoid doing extra iatrogenic harm

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8
Q

How do we assess a frail patient’s nutrition?

A

With the MUST screening tool

Also remember that poor nutrition can be both a result and a cause of ill health

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