[Geriatric assessment in physicians' practices: evolution and current application]

Abstract

There is substantial variation in the health of the older population. Primary care physicians are in demand of a quick overview of their patients' health in order to determine who is at risk of decline and dependency. A geriatric assessment aims to meet these requirements. Its intention is to facilitate care tailored to the individual needs. The following article gives an account of how geriatric assessment is currently applied in primary care. It provides evidence as to its effectiveness and critically discusses the use of standard instruments. Currently, easy to administer instruments are being tested in primary care for targeting frail older people and assessing their needs.