CGA in community settings

Assessment of mental capacity should be a routine part of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. This guide lays out the principles which govern testing mental capacity, advance care decisions and powers of attorney, along with the safeguards.

Bladder control problems are a common problem in older people and result from a variety of causes. Continence issues are an essential part of any Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, and this guide examines the causes, assessment, management and treatments available.

The prevalence of delirium in the community is 1-2 per cent but this rises to 14 per cent in people over 85, and in nursing homes or post acute care settings, can be up to 60 per cent. This guide deals with risk factors, diagnosis and management of this condition.

Dealing with the management of depression as part of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment including the treatments to consider.

Often a key component of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in primary care, this guide examines step-by-step how to carry out a multifactorial risk assessment for falls.

Improving older people’s walking and balancing improves quality of life, reduces dependence on health and social care and prevents  falls. This guide looks at the importance of taking a full history, assessing gait and balance, and referral to physiotherapy.

A reference guide to care and support planning within Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for primary care and community clinicians, including the recommended components and tips for creating a care plan.

Medication review is a core component of CGA. Older patients can have indications for multiple medications, some of which may be based on sound evidence, but others may do more harm than good. The evidence base for guideline based prescribing may not be so relevant to frail older people.

Creating a problem list as part of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment can help identify all the issues to consider and will be helpful in drawing up a care plan.

CGA needs to consider the impact of social factors on the health and wellbeing of individuals and vice versa. Here we look at working with Social Services and the differences in the four nations of the UK.

Examination of older patients incorporates all the typical aspects of clinical examination, although there are some general considerations and emphases that should be borne in mind, and specific examinations that may be more relevant in older people.

Functional assessment examines factors like mobility and daily living activities, and social assessment looks at social circumstances. Asking what the older person does and what environment they live in adds context to any Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment.

An introduction to CGA in primary care settings. This toolkit was developed by the British Geriatrics Society and has been endorsed by the ANCD for Older People and Integrated Person-Centred Care and by the Council of British Geriatrics Society, Scotland.

An overview of how Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is done in the primary care setting, and what to consider when conducting the assessment.

Nutritional status can be easily assessed, and problems can often be addressed quickly. Key questions about diet, appetite and weight should be on the menu of any Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. 

This report, originally published in June 2015, summarises research commissioned by BGS and Age UK on older people's attitudes and feelings towards language around frailty.

A selection of case presentations on community geriatric services and initiatives which were first presented at the BGS Autumn Meeting 2021 (24-26 November).