The Functional Assessment Process in Long-Term Care System for Older Persons

ABSTRACT

This paper was written to provide informations on the functional assessment system in developing public long-term care scheme for frail older persons. Until now in Korea long-term care services tend to be provided to older persons disqualified, because there is no a formal instrument to assess. Fundamentally the scope of function covered by particular measures is composed of four domainsself-care functioning, domestic functioning, cognitive function and challenging behaviour. As a result of review of literatures and each nation's system, assessment indices were suggested 41 items. That is to say, the self-care functioning and domestic functioning are consisted of 22 items, cognitive function and challenging behaviour being 9 items. Besides, it is suggested that 10 items of nursing and rehabilitative needs should be assessed. It is desirable that assessedment should be practised by medical manpowers, for example, medical doctor or nurse and in assessment process firstly visiting examiner make an investigation of physical and cognitive function with a constructed questionnaire and secondly assessment team such as ACAT in Australia decide the level of functional severity.