Functional assessment in older patients

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Practical assessment of the functional and support factors affecting quality of life in older patients should be an integral part of medical management. This approach allows physicians to focus on remediable problems that compromise patients' daily functioning and may hinder them from living independently. In this overview, Drs Paist and Jafri discuss the key concerns of functional assessment and present an illustrative case of an 86-year-old man with multiple problems.

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Notes on contributors

S. Scott Paist

S. Scott Paist III, MD Ayesha Jafri, MD Dr Paist is director of geriatrics and Dr Jafri (pictured) is a resident, department of family and community medicine, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Ayesha Jafri

S. Scott Paist III, MD Ayesha Jafri, MD Dr Paist is director of geriatrics and Dr Jafri (pictured) is a resident, department of family and community medicine, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.