Personal Care Mini-Assessment
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- Are they wearing clean clothing?
- Are the buttons and snaps in place?
- Are they wearing the same clothes day in and out?
- Are they sleeping in night clothes or wearing night clothes during the day?
- Do they appear to be bathing regularly (no body odor)?
- Is their hair combed neatly in place?
- Has Dad shaved as often as what was normal for him?
- Do their teeth appear clean? Are they wearing their dentures? Do they have bad breath?
- Does Mom continue to wear her usual amount of make-up?
- How do their shoes look?
- Have they lost or gained an unexplained amount of weight?
- Is there a reasonable amount of food in the house?
- Is there unusual bruising or tearing of the skin? Is the skin a healthy color? Is their skin soft and supple?
- Are there medication bottles lying about and/or lying open? Are medications expired? Are the medications from different doctors and pharmacies? Are there many different prescriptions?
Download the mini-assessment as a printable PDF. |
Home Maintenance Mini-Assessment
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- Is their home more cluttered than it used to be? Is it being kept as clean as it used to be kept?
- Are things put away in cupboards as usual?
- Is clothing being put away as usual?
- Is the refrigerator clean?
- Is the food in the home still fresh?
- Is there unopened mail and/or overdue bills?
- Is the lawn being mowed, snow being removed, gutters being cleaned and other general maintenance being done on their home?
- Are there safety concerns in the home such as throw rugs, too many furnishings in one room, unsafe conditions in the kitchen and/or bathrooms?
Download the mini-assessment as a printable PDF. |
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Mood / Orientation Mini-Assessment
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- Do they know you by name and relationship?
- Is their speech normal – clear and not slurred?
- Are they able to express a thought in an organized manner?
- Are they confused or forgetful?
- Are they having more than usual trouble sleeping?
- Are they aware of current events?
- Are they unsteady on their feet – holding on to furniture when walking?
- Has their driving become unsafe?
- Have they continued to be active outside the home and/or with hobbies?
- Are there any signs of isolation, mood swings, extreme sadness, loneliness or depression?
Download the mini-assessment as a printable PDF. |
Telelphone Mini-Assessment
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If you live too far away to make an in-person assessment of your parents’ needs, you can learn much from a telephone conversation. Ask questions in your conversation that will illicit information about their health and well-being. The answers can indicate whether they are taking care of themselves by eating and bathing properly, whether they are still enjoying activities, whether they remember recent conversations, and if their speech is clear and organized. Here are some examples of things you could ask:
- What did you have for dinner today?
- How’s your hairdresser, (insert name here)?
- How’s the new shower head we had installed?
- Did you decide to join that group we discussed last week?
- Did you go to that program at church last week you told me about?
- When is your car due an oil change?
- Spring is almost here. Did you call (insert name here) to set up getting your grass cut this year?
Download the mini-assessment as a printable PDF. |
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