ASSESSMENT IN GERONTORHEUMATOLOGY: PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

M. Franssen, W.W.G.J. Lankveld, A.A. StengerRheumatology, Sint maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, NetherlandsRheumatolgy will be challenged to meet the growing health care demands of the elderly with musculoskeletal conditions. To be able to deal with this challenge, accurate assessment of the patients health status, health care demands, and variables affecting treatment options is needed both to guide clinical action and research. The aim of this presentation is to give guidelines that will help improve care and research for this vulnerable group of elderly patients. Due to the multitude of problems in gerontorheumatological patients a comprehensive assessment is needed to be able to determine proper interventions. Comprehensive assessment both entails traditional and extensive rheumatologist assessment, as well as functioning in everyday life, variables affecting the patients functioning,as well as the patients needs and health care demands. In assessing the disease and impairment variables due attention should be given to comorbidity and polypharmacy. Income, social support and living conditions may limit treatment options. Furthermore, depression, social isolation and cognitive function may be additional variables determining these options. Based on a comprehensive assessment treatment goals can be defined and a course of action initiated. Patients health status, health care demands and variables affecting the patients treatment options should be assessed in a way that improves clinical decision making and can be used in future research. It is important that health care demands are gathered from the patients perspective and in a way that the effectiveness of interventions are measurable. Guidelines will be given to determine which instruments are feasible in the elderly population, and suggestions for instruments to be used in gerontorheumatological practice and research will be presented. Finelly, a number of important research topics for the coming years will be discussed.Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 64, supplement III, year 2005, page 49Session: Rheumatological care of the elderly