Key messages
- Older people accessing the healthcare system increasingly have a high level of medical and social complexity with associated ongoing and increasing care needs.
- A comprehensive health assessment is the best way to assess older people's needs.
- The Department of Health & Human Services has developed an assessment template for nurses and other healthcare professionals to assist them in undertaking comprehensive health assessments.
The Department of Health & Human Services recognises that older people in the health and aged care system increasingly have more than one health issue, a greater burden of disease, and greater risk of adverse events. The best way to assess an older person’s complex medical, social and care needs is with a comprehensive health assessment (CHA).
CHA is an information-gathering and decision-making process that is considered the foundation of clinical practice. It helps nurses and healthcare professionals to identify care needs and risks, and to make decisions about treatment and care options. CHA is significant to an older person’s health, safety and quality of life outcomes.
An assessment template is available to help nurses and other healthcare professionals in their clinical practice and to record the results of their comprehensive health assessment of an older person.
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