Screening Seniors for Risk of Functional Decline: Results of a Survey in Family Practice

Objective: To measure functional status, determine risk of functional decline and assess consistency between responses and standardized instruments.Design: A mailed survey which measured functional impairment, recent hospitalization and bereavement. A positive response on at least one of these factors indicated that the individual was “at risk” for functional decline. A random sample (n=73) of “at risk” subjects (specifically, family practice patients aged 70 and older) were assessed by a nurse.Results: The response rate was 89% (369/415), 59% of seniors were female and the mean age was 77.1 (SD=5.5) years. Selfreported risk, based on activities of daily living (ADLs), was associated with impairment in at least one basic ADL (p<0.0005) using a standardized instrument. The positive predictive value of the survey for ADL impairment was 65%.Conclusion: Response to a mailed survey was high and self-reported ADL risks were consistent with findings from standardized assessment tools.