Functional assessment and its place in health care
Article Abstract:
Functional assessment of the growing elderly population may be used to evaluate quality of life, plan care and financing for care, and prevent disability. Functional assessment measures a person's ability to carry out basic daily activities. It is the main part of the Resident Assessment Instrument, used by every nursing home in the U.S. to plan adequate care for residents. Measures of functional assessment may be used to determine the use of resources by nursing home residents which in turn determines how much long-term care providers are paid by health insurers. Functional assessment may be useful in predicting which members of a group of nondisabled elderly persons may have future disabilities. Preventive interventions may be directed toward persons at risk of future disability. The creation of an international assessment instrument may make it possible to compare health care systems and their quality among countries. Such comparisons may identify optimal ways of sustaining functional abilities of the elderly.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1995
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Cumulative impact of sustained economic hardship on physical, cognitive, psychological, and social function
Article Abstract:
People whose income is chronically below the federal poverty level during their adult life seem to have significantly more problems in old age. Researchers surveyed 1,124 people with an average age of 63-65 in 1994 who had also been surveyed in 1965, 1974 and 1983. Those whose income was less than 200% of the federal poverty level on more than one of those surveys were more likely to have problems living independently compared to those not in that category. They were also more likely to be diagnosed with depression. There was no evidence that illness had caused their economic hardship.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1997
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