Meredith Wallace

Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living.

Anvendelse: Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Katz ADL) er udviklet med henblik på en hurtig og systematisk vurdering a f patientens fysiske og basale praktiske funktionsevne i hverdagen. Målgruppen er ældre i pl jebolig eller tilsvarende omstændigheder samt kronisk syge. Instrumentet er ikke udviklet sp ecielt med henblik på ældre med demens. Det vurderer ikke mere avancerede aspekter af funkt ionsevnen.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

BEST TOOL: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a tool that can be used to systematically and thoroughly assess mental status. It is an 11-question measure that tests five areas of cognitive function: orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language. The maximum score is 30. A score of 23 or lower is indicative of cognitive impairment. The MMSE takes only 5-10 minutes to administer and is therefore practical to use repeatedly and routinely. TARGET POPULATION: The MMSE is effective as a screening tool for cognitive impairment with older, community dwelling, hospitalized and institutionalized adults. Assessment of an older adult’s cognitive function is best achieved when it is done routinely, systematically and thoroughly. VALIDITY/RELIABILITY: Since its creation in 1975, the MMSE has been validated and extensively used in both clinical practice and research.

Monitoring functional status in hospitalized older adults.

The Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living can help nurses detect subtle changes in health and prevent functional decline. OverviewCreated 45 years ago, the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living has shown itself to be an important tool in measuring an older adults capacity to care for her- or himself. When a nurse using the tool notes a diminishment in the patients ability to perform any of six activities—bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, transferring, or remaining continent—further assessment may uncover a reversible cause, such as a chronic or acute condition requiring treatment. A video demonstrating the use of the Katz index is available for free online at http://links.lww.com/A241.

Fulmer SPICES. An overall assessment tool of older adults.

WHY: Normal aging brings about inevitable and irreversible changes. These normal aging changes are partially responsible for the increased risk of developing health-related problems within the elderly population. Prevalent problems experienced by older adults include: sleep disorders, problems with eating or feeding, incontinence, confusion, evidence of falls, and skin breakdown. Familiarity with these commonly-occurring disorders helps the nurse prevent unnecessary iatrogenesis and promote optimal function of the aging patient. Flagging conditions for further assessment allows the nurse to implement preventative and therapeutic interventions (Fulmer, 1991; Fulmer, 1991).

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: assessment and management.

1. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a progressive neurologic disease that occurs in approximately one in one million individuals annually. 2. CJD affects late middle-aged and elderly individuals, with a peak occurrence between the ages of 55 and 75. 3. The disease is thought to be caused by an unknown virus that enters the central nervous system, causing neuron destruction and replacing the destroyed neurons with plaques. 4. There is no known cure or treatment for CJD, and the time span from onset of symptoms until death is 6 to 12 months.

Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living

Why: Normal aging changes and health problems frequently show themselves as declines in the functional status of older adults. Decline may place the older adult on a spiral of iatrogenesis leading to further health problems. One of the best ways to evaluate the health status of older adults is throu

Cancer in the Elderly

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Fulmer SPICES: An overall assessment tool of older adults

WHY: Normal aging brings about inevitable and irreversible changes. These normal aging changes are partially responsible for the increased risk of developing health-related problems within the elderly population. Prevalent problems experienced by older adults include: sleep disorders, problems with eating or feeding, incontinence, confusion, evidence of falls and skin breakdown. Familiarity with these commonly-occurring disorders helps the nurse prevent unnecessary iatrogenesis and promote optimal function of the aging patient. Flagging conditions for further assessment will allow the nurse to implement preventative and therapeutic interventions. BEST TOOL: The most appropriate instrument for obtaining the information necessary to prevent health alterations is SPICES developed by Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN at New York University, Division of Nursing. SPICES is an acronym for the common syndromes of the elderly requiring nursing intervention: