Roger YM Wong, BMSc, MD, FRCPC,
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

For many adults age 65 years or above, their point of entry into the health care system often begins with an office visit to their family practitioners. In some instances, proper assessment of these elderly patients may become quite a daunting task for the primary care physician in a busy office. Two common barriers to conducting a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in the office setting include the lack of a systematic approach to screen for common geriatric problems, and more importantly, the paucity of time. The challenge therefore becomes how one can assess a frail older patient with multiple medical and functional problems quickly and effectively. This article will highlight some simple ways to incorporate important concepts of geriatric assessment into one's busy outpatient practice.

CGA and health promotion

The United Nations has declared 1999 as the Year of the Older Person. CGA is one of the ways to promote healthy living in the older adult. Simply defined, CGA refers to the multi-faceted approach of diagnosing and managing complex physical, psychological and functional problems.