Publication:

Geriatric assessment as indispensable tool for physicians, what does the future hold?

Background Despite the notable rise in the elderly population in Mexico, it is imperative to acknowledge and address geriatric syndromes. The employment of geriatric assessment is essential, as it offers a comprehensive evaluation of elderly patients.

Methods A cross-sectional analysis was carried out on hospitalized patients over the age of 65, who underwent geriatric assessment performed by a multidisciplinary team comprising of a geriatrician, nurse, nutritionist, and internist. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency distribution, percentage, mean, median, and standard deviation of geriatric syndromes were obtained.

Results Polypharmacy was identified as the primary geriatric syndrome, with a higher prevalence among males (54.3%), followed by functional impairment, with a slightly higher occurrence in males (52.5%). Among the identified geriatric syndromes, frailty, anxiety, pressure ulcers, incontinence, abuse, and caregiver collapse showed no gender preference. The majority of patients were at risk of malnutrition, as determined by the mini nutritional assessment.

Conclusions The geriatric assessment is a valuable tool in detecting diseases in elderly patients and facilitating alterations to their treatment plans, particularly during hospitalization. However, accurate assessment of this population requires a multidisciplinary team, as it helps prevent geriatric syndromes such as polypharmacy, functional impairment, and malnutrition, which can adversely affect the elderly's quality of life.