Assessment

When you face a number of ailments, medical care can become complex. A drug prescription may help one symptom, but create a new one in its stead. You may be tired of seeing doctors and not want to mention seemingly small but bothersome things, such as feeling tired or forgetful.

If you or a loved one is experiencing increased frailty, memory loss, depression, or any perplexing or debilitating symptoms, a thorough assessment can prove invaluable. This is an important first step in determining a plan of action for receiving appropriate diagnosis and care.

Service-Specific Assessment: A service-specific assessment is the most common type of evaluation. Before providing appropriate advice, referrals, or recommendations for care, it is important to evaluate and understand your specific concerns and needs. For home care or other senior services, it is common to receive an assessment from a social worker, care manager, or intake professional. The assessment should lead toward a recommended plan of care or service.

• More specialized assessments may be conducted by a Geriatric Care Manager, a social worker with a masters degree in social work specializing in the needs of older adults.
• A licensed psychologist, a licensed social worker (LCSW), or a marriage and family therapist (MFT) should be sought for advice or assessment regarding a mental health concern. This type of assessment is routinely conducted in either an office or the client’s home.
• A psychologist or neuropsychologist should be sought when an assessment is required to evaluate memory loss or other changes in cognitive functioning.

Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Assessment: Sometimes a person faces a number of challenges surrounding their care and have a complicated medical history, ongoing medical problems or undiagnosed symptoms which require a more thorough and multidisciplinary assessment. A comprehensive assessment is more multi-dimensional than the service-specific assessment and will evaluate the complete person, considering medical, psychological, and social needs and interests. Conducting this type of assessment in the client’s home or place of residence will provide a more comfortable and natural setting for testing. Generally, this type of assessment is requested by your doctor or by a family member who has concerns regarding your care. Click here to learn about IOA’s Geriatric Assessment Service.