[Ambulatory geriatric assessment of 2116 in poor elderly].
BACKGROUND
Geriatric assessment quantifies medical, functional, mental and social capabilities and alterations of elders and is the first step to initiate specific intervention programs.


OBJECTIVE
To report the initial geriatric assessment of a program aimed to help poor elders living in Metropolitan Santiago.


METHODS
Two thousand one hundred sixteen free living subjects aged 65 to 99 years old (711 males) were subjected to an assessment using a simple geriatric score validated abroad and used previously in Chile. The resulting score ranges from 0 (better) to 5 (worst).


RESULTS
Eighty eight percent of elders did not have problems in the functional evaluation. Subjects over 75 years old needed occasional support for the daily activities with higher frequency than younger subjects (12 and 5.4% respectively, p < 0.001) and had a higher frequency of major functional limitations (7.8 and 3.2% respectively, p < 0.001). Mental assessment was considered normal in 89.4% of subjects. Those over 75 years old had a higher frequency of memory disturbances (11.4 and 6.5% respectively) and cognitive alterations (4.6 and 1.8% respectively). Indefinite social support could be received by 84% of subjects, but 7.4% did not have access to this resource.


CONCLUSIONS
Geriatric assessment of poor elders gives useful information to identify those subjects that require community help.
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
P P
PP
Marín
R
R
Kornfeld
E
E
Somlai
E
E
Valenzuela
S
S
Castro
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D016730:Program Development; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014505:Urban Population
Valoración geriátrica ambulatoria de 2116 adultos mayores pobres.