Systematic review of EASY-care needs assessment for community-dwelling older people

Abstract

Background: undertaking comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs) combined with long-term health and social care management can improve the quality of life of older people [ 1]. The EASY-Care tool is a CGA instrument designed for assessing the physical, mental and social functioning and unmet health and social needs of older people in community settings or primary care. It has also been used as a frailty assessment tool and for gathering population-level data.Objective: to review the evidence of reliability, validity and acceptability of EASY-Care and its appropriateness for assessing the needs of community-dwelling older people.Methods: systematic search of literature databases using pre-defined search terms (January 1994—May 2014) for English language articles reporting on the reliability, validity, acceptability and implementation of EASY-Care in primary care and community settings. Eligible articles were critically reviewed. Discussion papers mapping professionals' use of the tool were also included as these could be considered an aspect of validity.Results: twenty-nine papers met the inclusion criteria and underwent data extraction. A narrative synthesis was performed, because there was a variety of quantitative and qualitative outcomes and characteristics. Reliability evidence for EASY-Care is minimal. Evidence for validity is good, and it has received numerous positive endorsements of acceptability in international settings from older people and practitioners.Conclusion: evidence supports the use of EASY-Care for individual needs assessment; further research is needed for other uses. Of the papers that made statements about who should administer EASY-Care, the majority indicated that nurses were preferable to self-completion.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus in older people: a brief statement of key principles of modern day management including the assessment of frailty. A national collaborative stakeholder initiative

“…A number of approaches are available to detect the presence of frailty in community-dwelling older adults which are applicable to adults with diabetes [17]. These have been subject to feasibility and validity reviews [18][19][20][21]. A general frailty assessment pathway for people diabetes has recently been described ( Fig.…”

Self‐reported skin concerns: An epidemiological study of community‐dwelling older people

“…To date, the instrument has been used in numerous settings and has been completed by healthcare practitioners and older people. It is suggested that completion by nurses is preferable to self‐completion as self‐report may increase risk over or under‐reporting (Craig et al., ). EASYCare is written in clear and simple language which encourages systematic, holistic assessment using a conversational approach.…”

Utility of the Easy-Care Standard 2010 in the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of Adults Aging with Developmental Disabilities

“…Regardless of intellectual disability from developmental delay, much emphasis was placed on increasing mental activity via socialization (84%) and cognitive stimulation therapy 5 (CST) (72%). The potential reversible causes of cognitive impairment such as polypharmacy, sensory deprivation, and depression were targeted with the recommendations of medication review (41%), ENT referral (28%), and psychotherapy referral (22%).…”

“…4 Participants had a greater use of home care and day care resources. 5 The original model was modified to the more streamlined Easy-Care Standard 2010 after early acceptability and reliability trials.…”