Biopsychosocial Assessment

1) Your Overall Reaction to the Assigned Reading:
“Conducting a Biopsychosocial Assessment” by Kathleen McInnis-Dittrich is another interesting reading that I definitely enjoyed. It’s very interesting to know that there is an assessment that actually can tell professionals what are the strengths and challenges of an older person. Older people can be evaluated with the biopsychosocial assessment and how support or rehabilitative services can help older adults to maintain independent and satisfying lifestyles could be identify (McInnis-Dittritch, 2014).
Assessment are usually conducted following a change in the older adult life such as a serious illness, falls, loss of a spouse, change in living arrangements, or come evidence of difficulty observed by a family member

or caregiver (McInnis-Dittritch, 2014).
The assessment process is a dynamic one in which both the social worker and the older adult contribute to an evaluation of how the older adult is functioning physically, sexually, spiritually, socially, in activities of daily living, financially, or within his or her home environment (McInnis-Dittritch, 2014).
The biopsychosocial assessment include eight major domains which are physical health, competence in activities of daily living, psychological and emotional well-being, social functioning, spirituality, sexuality, financial resources, and environmental safety.

2) Specifically, What Ideas/Concepts Did You Like/Dislike?
This chapter has been an eye-opener to me; for example, the difference between gerontological and geriatric evaluation; gerontological which is the science that deal with aging and the problems of aged person while geriatric evaluation or diagnostic workup are usually done by a team of service providers including physicians, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and physical therapist.
When the gentorological assessment is about to be conducted to a older person the social worker needs to be aware that he/she is going to ask very personal questions which must be asked with exceptional sensitivity and patience on the part of the social worker; social workers should expect resistance to admitting difficulties is highly personal areas such as bodily functions, family relationships, sexual activities and personal finances (McInnis-Dittritch,

2014).
3) Select Three Key Concepts and Describe How Each Might Inform Your Practice:
• Physical health: during the assessment this is an important part which social workers need to ask; for example the first impression when the older person is seen, is there any evidence of a stroke or paralysis, this person has any difficulty walking or getting up from sitting, or with physical coordination, is this person concerns of any heart trouble, this person has trouble breathing, how is this person high blood pressure.
• Another important topic to inquire about during this assessment is the elder activities of daily living; for example use of the telephone, including the ability, to look up and dial a number and receive a call, shopping including the ability to plan and purchase items if transportation is provided, food preparation, including both planning a complete meal and preparing it without assistance this person uses independent transportation including car, bus, or taxi, and money management.
• Psychological and emotional functioning: since the beginnings of the assessment when asking this elder questions about his/her physical health and functional ability pay attention to check if this person has ability to process and answer questions. Check his/her personality, intelligence, memory, dementia, delirium, depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety and worry and homicidal ideation.

References
McInnis-Dittrich, K. (2014). Conducting a Biopsychosocial Assessment. In Social work with older adults (4th ed., pp. 82-106). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.