Mohammed T. Abou-Saleh

126 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRYFamilyFamily psychiatricPersonalSocial (including work)MedicalCurrent medicationsDrug and alcoholPsychiatric examination (MSE)Level of consciousnessAppearance and behaviorAffectMechanics (stream) of thoughtContent of thoughtSensoriumInsightJudgmentSuicidal/homicidal ideationA physical examination (including a brief neurologic examination),laboratory evaluation and neuropsychological testingcomplete the geriatric psychiatric database and are describedelsewhere. It is particularly important to evaluate visual andauditory acuity in this age group.REFERENCES1. Hampton JR, Harrison MJG, Mitchell JRA et al. Relativecontributions of history-taking, physical examination, and laboratoryinvestigation to diagnosis and management of medical outpatients. BrMed J 1975; ii: 486–9.2. Mader S, Ford A. The Geriatric Interview. In The Medical Interview.New York: Springer, 1995; 221–34.3. Coulehan JL, Block MR. In Lowenthal DT (ed.) The MedicalInterview: A Primer for Students of the Art. Philadelphia, PA: FADavis, 1987; chapter 1.4. Rowe JW, Besdine RW. Geriatric Medicine, 2nd edn. Boston: Little,Brown, 1988.5. Spar JE. Principles of diagnosis and treatment in geriatric psychiatry.In Lazarus L (ed.), Essentials of Geriatric Psychiatry. New York:Springer, 1988.6. Sapira JD. The Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis. Baltimore, MD:Urban & Schwarzenberg, 1990.7. Applebaum P, Grisso J. Assessing patient’s capacities to consent totreatment. N Engl J Med 1988; 25(319): 1635–8.8. Folstein M, Folstein S, McHugh P. Mini-mental state: a practicalmethod of grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. JPsychiatr Res 1975; 12: 189–98.9. Crook T, Ferris S, Bartus R (eds), Assessment in GeriatricPsychopharmacology. New Canaan, CT: Mark Powley, 1983.10. Yesavage J, Brink T, Rose T et al. Development and validation of ageriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J PsychiatRes 1983; 17: 37–49.11. Beck A. Depression: Causes and Treatment. Philadelphia, PA:University of Pennsylvania Press, 1972.12. Katz S et al. Studies of illness in the aged: the index of ADL, astandardized measure of biological and psychosocial function. JAmMed Assoc 1963; 185: 914–19.13. Lawton M, Brody E. Assessment of older people: self-maintainingand instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist 1969; 9: 179–86.14. Reisberg B, Ferris S, DeLeon M et al. The global deterioration scalefor assessment of primary degenerative dementia. Am J Psychiat1982; 139: 1136–9.15. Cassel C, Riesenberg D, Sorenson L, Walsh J (eds). GeriatricMedicine, 2nd edn, New York: Springer, 1990; chapters 33–37.16. Burns T, Mortimer J, Merchak P. Cognitive Performance Test: a newapproach to functional assessment in Alzheimer’s disease. J GeriatPsychol Neurol 1994; 7: 46–54.17. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manualof Mental Disorders, 4th edn. Washington, DC: American PsychiatricAssociation, 1994.