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The development of a short instrument to identify common unmet needs in older people in general practice
- Authors:
- ILIFFE Steve, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of General Practice, 54(509), December 2004, pp.914-918.
- Publisher:
- Royal College of General Practitioners
No structured needs assessment tool appropriate for older people and also suitable for use in routine general practice consultations exists. This study aimed to engage older people in the development of a brief, valid, practical and acceptable instrument to help identify common unmet needs suitable for use in routine clinical practice in primary care by user involvement in a multi-stages approach to heuristic development in general practices, voluntary groups and community organisations in north and central London. Subjects included patients 65 and over in purposively selected practices, voluntary organisations for older people, community organisations involving older people, GPs and community nurses. Data were collected through mixed methodology interviews using a structured assessment tool, a postal questionnaire, and focus groups. Synthesis and interpretation was done through a consensus conference followed by a Delphi process involving primary care professionals. Five domains of unmet need were identified as priority areas by all 3 methods, the consensus conference, and the Delphi process: senses (vision and hearing), physical ability (mobility and falls), incontinence, cognition, and emotional distress (depression and anxiety). Concludes that public involvement in the design of clinical tools allowed the development of a brief assessment instrument that could potentially identify common, important and tractable unmet needs in older people.
Smarter working in social and health care (SWISH): enhancing the quality of life of older people using an 'expert system'
- Authors:
- ILIFFE Steve, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 6(4), December 2005, pp.4-11.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Successive policy documents concerning older people's health and well-being have aimed to improve their care, by raising standards and promoting independence. These policies also emphasise the need for research to prevent disability, and reduce admission to hospitals and long-term care settings. This article reports on an evaluation in progress of a health technology approach designed to achieve these objectives. An 'expert system' (health risk appraisal for older people - HRAO) is described that is intended to improve older people's access to health and social care needs of older people, and to allow planners to assess the needs of whole populations.