Online Course
NDNP 819: Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
Module: Geriatrics
Functional Assessment
A rapid screening for functional status includes these domains: 1) functional status at home, 2) mobility, 3) nutrition, 4) vision, 5) hearing, 6) cognitive functioning, and 7) depression.
- Functional Status: Answers “Yes” to one or more of the following: Because of a health or physical problem, do you need help to: Shop? Do light housework? Walk across a room? Take a bath or shower? Manage the household finances?
- Mobility: Do “Timed Get up and Go” Test (Sit, rise from a chair, walk 8 feet and turn around, and sit back down)—concern with mobility if unable to complete in less than 20 seconds
- Nutrition: Unintentional weight loss of > 5% in prior 6 months (or BMI < 20)
- Vision: if unable to read a newspaper headline and sentence while reading corrective lenses, test each eye with Snellen chart: unable to read greater than 20/40
- Hearing: Acknowledges hearing loss when questioned or unable to perceive a letter/number combination whispered at a distance of 2 feet
- Cognitive Function: 3-item recall: unable to remember all 3 items after 1 minute
- Depression: Answers “Yes” to “Do you often feel sad or depressed?”
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