Lesson 1Pain assessment in older adults: self-report, observational tools for cognitively impaired residents, pattern and impact of painDis part explain best way to check pain in older people, stressing self-report, tested tools for watching when mind no sharp, analyzing pain patterns, and how pain affect sleep, mood, walking, and joining daily activities.
Principles of self-reported pain assessmentPain scales for cognitively impaired residentsAssessing pain pattern, triggers, and durationImpact of pain on function, mood, and sleepReassessment and documenting pain responsesLesson 2Systematic physical assessment: cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal (including mobility and gait), skin integrity, and continenceDis explore head-to-toe, body system check for older people, focusing on heart, breathing, muscles and bones, skin, and bladder control to catch early worsening, guide help, and support safe daily care.
Cardiovascular assessment and vital sign trendsRespiratory assessment and breath sound changesMusculoskeletal strength, mobility, and gait analysisSkin integrity, pressure injury and wound screeningBladder and bowel continence assessment toolsLesson 3Functional status assessment: ADLs, IADLs, mobility aids use, transfers, and need for assistanceDis explain how to check daily function using basic activities, advanced daily tasks, walking aids, moving from place to place, and help needs, to set starting point, plan rehab, share resources, and watch changes over time.
Assessing basic ADLs and care dependenceEvaluating IADLs and community functioningMobility aids use and safe techniqueTransfer ability and manual handling needsSetting realistic functional goals with residentsLesson 4Falls risk assessment specifics: environmental review, footwear, orthostatic hypotension, polypharmacy and sensory deficitsDis focus on detailed check for fall risks, including surroundings, shoes, sudden low blood pressure, too many medicines, and sense problems, to make targeted stop plans and cut injury chance in older people.
Using validated falls risk assessment toolsEnvironmental and equipment safety reviewFootwear, foot problems, and mobility aidsScreening for orthostatic hypotensionPolypharmacy and sedative medication risksVision, hearing, and other sensory deficitsLesson 5Collecting accurate history in the first 48 hours: past medical history, fall history, social history, cultural preferences, and advanced directivesDis give frame for gathering true history in first 48 hours, including past health and falls, social life, culture likes, and advance care plans, to inform personal, value-based care plans.
Past medical and surgical history collectionPrevious falls, injuries, and near-miss eventsSocial history, routines, and support networksCultural, spiritual, and language preferencesAdvance directives and goals of careLesson 6Social and family assessment: capacity, family concerns, frequency of visits, cultural and language needsDis explain how to check social help, family ways, decision power, and carer worries, while finding culture, spirit, and language needs wey affect care planning, talking, and resident joining.
Assessing social support and living arrangementsEvaluating decision-making capacity indicatorsIdentifying family concerns and expectationsCultural, spiritual, and language care needsCarer stress, burden, and respite needsLesson 7Medication review on admission: reconciliation process, high-risk medications for older adults, interactions and anticholinergic burdenDis review safe medicine matching on entry, focusing on checking histories, finding high-risk drugs, spotting mixes and anticholinergic load, and working with pharmacists and doctors.
Collecting a complete medication historyIdentifying high-risk medicines in geriatricsRecognizing drug interactions and duplicationsAssessing anticholinergic and sedative burdenWorking with pharmacists and prescribersLesson 8Nutrition and hydration screening: weights, food/fluid intake monitoring, dysphagia risk indicators, oral healthDis outline food and water check, including weight past, intake watch, swallowing risk, and mouth health, to spot poor nutrition, dry body, and choking risk, and guide quick referrals and care planning.
Baseline weight, BMI, and weight change trendsUsing malnutrition screening toolsMonitoring food and fluid intake accuratelyRecognizing dysphagia and aspiration risk signsOral health, dentures, and swallowing impactLesson 9Documentation standards and handover: use of structured templates and communicating key findings to MDT within 48 hoursDis describe writing and shift hand over standards for first 48 hours, stressing ready templates, clear thinking, risk sums, and quick sharing of main findings to di team.
Using structured admission assessment templatesWriting clear, concise clinical notesSummarizing key risks and prioritiesVerbal and written handover to MDTTimeframes and accountability in first 48 hoursLesson 10Cognitive and mood evaluation: when and how to assess cognition and mood, baseline cognitive observations, collateral history from familyDis cover proper check of mind and mood, including when to screen, how to pick tools, and how to read results, while mixing starting watches and family info to tell apart confusion, forgetfulness, and sadness.
Screening for delirium, dementia, and depressionSelecting and using cognitive screening toolsMood assessment and suicide risk indicatorsGathering collateral history from family or carersDocumenting baseline cognition and behavior
