PURPOSE: To develop a test that will be administered by nonphysician office staff to screen
elderly persons seen in ambulatory settings for problems commonly contributing to
functional disability. METHODS: We reviewed the literature to identify problems that reduce
function and screening measures appropriate for use in office settings. Using this
information, we developed an instrument including screening items for malnutrition/weight
loss, visual impairment, hearing loss, cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence …

METHODs: We reviewed the literature to identify problems that reduce function and
screening measures appropriate for use in office settings. Using this information, we
developed an instrument including screening items for malnutrition/weight loss, visual
impairment, hearing loss, cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence, depression, physical
disability, and reduced leg mobility. The instrument was tested on 109 new patients at a
university-based ambulatory geriatrics medicine clinic and validated using two standards …