Screening instruments for use in a complete geriatric assessment.

The rapid population growth of individuals 65 years and older in the United States is predicted to continue through 2050. As people age, the complexity of their healthcare needs increase and can be attributed to the normal aging process as well as an increased frequency of chronic illness with associated morbidity. There are many geriatric assessment instruments that can be used to evaluate the complex health needs of the older adult, but there is a need for a geriatric screening assessment process that can address the domains of the aging individual in a practical, holistic, and cost-effective manner. There are multiple quality-of-life instruments that can be used for this screening of health needs in the aging population, and 3 will be discussed, the LEIPAD instrument, the Medical Short Form-36, and the WHOQOL-BREF. The rationale for introducing a screening assessment into the clinical practice of the clinical nurse specialist for positive patient outcomes will be examined.