Assessment of Older People's Health and Social Care Needs and ...

--------------------------------Questions about Rating ScalesIn looking at the rating scales that may be used in old age psychiatry, there are questions to ask.The first is why are we using the rating scale? The second is what is the purpose of it?Is it for population screening, assessing the severity of problems, aiding diagnosis, or monitoringchange if medication has been instituted? In terms of assessing the severity of problems andmonitoring change, nothing can surpass the clinical interview with the individual and talking to his orher carer. Nonetheless, rating scales can be useful for other reasons, for example, to research anarea of illness or disease or to have a clear measurement of change.Rating Scales for Depression and DementiaThere are many scales available for depression and dementia. For example, the Geriatric DepressionScale or the BASDEC can be used to screen for Depression. The Hamilton rating scale can be used toassess the severity of depression. The Mini Mental Score Exam (MMSE) can be used to screen fordementia behavioural and psychological symptoms can be assessed using the Behave-AD scale andthe activities of daily living can be assessed using the BristoljADFACS scales.Camberwell Assessment of Need for the ElderlyThe Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly is a tool that is used for assessing the needs ofelderly people with mental illness, be it in the community or in institutional care. It is used ininterviews with the older people, their carers and a staff member, if relevant. It is a valuable tool touse in assessing needs that are met, partially met or unmet in that, from the clinical point of view,service needs can be quantified and, from the planning point of view, you can determine whatservices need to be planned for an area.The tool addresses a broad range of areas which include accommodation, food, household skills, selfcare,daytime activities, physical health, psychotic symptoms, information and psychological distress,safety, support, behaviour, memory and finances.The Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly tool is recommended for use in the singleassessment process in the National Service Framework for the Elderly in the UK. It certainly would bea good tool to use in assessing the met and unmet health and social care needs of the olderpopulation here also. There are a range of outcome tools which could be used to assess effectivenessof service provision e.g. HONOS, FACE.Conference Proceedings