Measurement Scales Used in Elderly Care

Book excerpt: This unique, concise ready reference for daily use collates for the first time the most useful, practical and simple assessment scales used in geriatric settings. It provides tools to identify clinical conditions and health outcomes objectively and reliably. It is essential as a clinical primer and everyday reference guide for all practising and training members of multidisciplinary teams, including consultants and doctors in specialist training, career grade doctors and general practitioners, and medical students; nurses, health visitors, dieticians, and social workers; allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists; and managers of elderly care services.'Assessment is central to the practice of Geriatric Medicine. All members of the multidisciplinary team require a sound knowledge of the basic principles of measurement scales. We need to be competent in using and selecting appropriate scales, understanding which scales are valid and fit for purpose. Unfortunately, up to now, this has been a difficult task often requiring reference to original papers. Dr Gupta's scholarship has come to the rescue. He has trawled through the many hundreds of scales available selecting those most useful for the specialty.This book will be valuable to all members of the multidisciplinary team. Dr Gupta has done an excellent job outlining the theory and practice of measurement scales. He has put together an extremely useful compendium of scales. I congratulate him and wish his publication every success. I can foresee this publication becoming an essential text for every unit library and valuable book for individual clinicians.' - Dr Jeremy Playfer in his Foreword. 'This book summarises the most commonly used validated assessment scales which can be used by medical students, postgraduate trainees, consultants and the multi-disciplinary team members. I hope a copy of this book will be kept on every ward, outpatient department and GP practice for daily use and reference' - Professor Bim Bhowmick OBE in his Foreword.