Assessment: a keystone to geriatric care

Geriatric care is emerging in importance and will continue to be a priority until late into the twenty-first century. Demographers report that there are more older Americans, particularly in the oldest group. Although chronic illness can develop at any age, it is clearly associated with advancing years and particularly with the group of advanced age, eighty and older, that is growing so rapidly. The health care system, traditionally designed to be responsive to acute care needs on an episodic basis, is attempting to make the changes that are needed, but generally is responding in an ad hoc manner rather than by careful comprehensive analysis and planning. In order to foster a more rational approach to the changes in the health care system, comprehensive assessment of the older patient must be considered a critical component of geriatric health care.