Functional Assessment in the Older Adult

• Education and nursing interventions should focus on improving functional independence and promotion ways to prevent or lessen decline in the older adult.  

•  Education allows the patient and family make informed decisions which aid in recovery and the promotion of increased health.  

•  Educating patient and families to stay active and maintain healthy living protocols helped reduced the risk of functional decline.  Paterson and Warburton (2010) suggests that for “functional independence, moderate (and high) level of physical activity appeared effective in conferring a reduced risk of functional limitations or disability” (Patterson & Warburton, 2010).  

• Patients and families should be encourage to continue with physical activity to the level of their ability to promote functional independence and a foster self accomplishment.  

• Educating the patient and family on maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help encourage increased level of functional independence.  Along with increasing physical activity as a means to increase functional independence, education centered on maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as proper diet, smoking cessation, limiting alcohol consumption, knowledge of family history can help reduce the risk of functional decline.