Comprehensive geriatric assessment

Comprehensive geriatric assessment was developed in the Anglo-American coun tries as a diagnostic process to better understand the effects of diseases and interactions of multiple chronic conditions. To standardize the use of assessment instruments, a working group of the two German geriatric societi es has elaborated recommendations. As the first step, an expanded version o f the screening according to Lachs should be used, followed by performing t he Barthel-ADL, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the 'Timed Up and Go' and the (Semi-) Tandem Stance. The expanded v ersion of the screening of Lachs is helpful for targeting patients and for placement; the others are not useful for that purpose. No instrument satisf actorily fulfills all test criteria, which include validity, reliability, s ensitivity, practicability and repeatability, and, in part, these dimension s are not investigated at all. All test instruments are diagnostic tools fo r functional status and capabilities but do not give information about reso urce needs. No instrument covers the new concept of ICIDH completely.