Assessing Safe and Independent Living in Vulnerable Older Adults: Perspectives of Professionals Who Conduct Home Assessments

Aanand D. Naik; Mark E. Kunik; Kristin R. Cassidy; Jeethy Nair; John Coverdale

doi:10.3122/jabfm.2010.05.090065

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Table 1.

Focus Group Characteristics (n = 45)

Characteristics	Value
Age (mean ± SD)	44.2 ± 13.9
Female (n [%])	36 (80)
Ethnicity (n [%])
White	22 (49)
African American	14 (31)
Hispanic	7 (16)
Asian American	2 (4)
Occupation (n [%])
Social work	10 (22)
Physician, geriatric medicine	8 (18)
Lawyer	6 (13)
Physician, primary care	4 (9)
Nurse	3 (7)
Psychologist	3 (7)
Health educator	3 (7)
Research	2 (4)
Other	6 (13)
Professional time with vulnerable adults (%)
Social work	52
Physician, geriatric medicine	44
Lawyer	35
Physician, primary care	15
Nurse	13
Psychologist	15
Health educator	13
Research	5
Other	18

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Table 2.

Comparison of a Participant-Originated Framework for Screening Vulnerability for Safe and Independent Living Among Older Adults with Other Common Assessment Measures of Independent Living Used by Study Participants

	Study Participant-Originated Framework	Functional Independence Measure²⁷	Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills³⁰
Cognition	1. Memory	1. Memory	Knowledge of:
	2. Attention	2. Problem solving	1. Emergency numbers
	3. Concentration		2. Location of medical and dental facilities
Decision Making	1. Comparative reasoning	1. Audio/visual Comprehension	Safety and Health
	2. Sequencing	1. Audio/visual Comprehension	1. Awareness of dangerous household situations
	3. Reasoning and judgment	2. Verbal and nonverbal expression	1. Awareness of dangerous household situations
		2. Verbal and nonverbal expression	2. Identification of appropriate action for sickness and accidents
Executive Functioning
Maintenance of personal finances	Managing financial affairs i.e. writing a check	NA	1. Use of money when purchasing items
			2. Writing a check
			3. Obtain and maintain source of income
			4. Budgeting monthly income
			5. Budgeting money for food
			6. Use of banking forms
			7. Payment of bills
Medical self-management	Managing complex medication regimen	NA	NA
Mobility	1. Able to quickly exit from house	Within the house: walking, wheelchair	Within the community
Mobility	2. Able to drive
Personal Care and Hygiene	1. Feeding	1. Feeding	1. Physical appearance
	2. Grooming	2. Grooming	2. Frequency of self-care activities
	3. Bathing	3. Bathing
4. Dressing	4. Dressing
Maintenance of a safe living environment	1. Leaving the stove on	NA	NA
	2. Cigarettes left lit around the house
	3. Cluttered home
	4. Fresh food available
	5. Telephone use