Comprehensive functional assessment.

A diagnosis-centered approach has limited value when describing the health status of the elderly. Functional losses often stem from many interacting health and social problems, and therefore, successful treatment is dependent on evaluation of an individual's overall capacity to meet his own needs in everyday community life. A systematic and multidimensional assessment should cover physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning, including the instrumental activities of daily living, as well as economic resources, informal social supports, and utilization and perceived need for services. Comprehensive functional assessment at the primary care level can be a very valuable tool not only for patient care, but also for administrative management.