Social valuation

| In geriatric assessment, a fundamental axis is social assessment, since all people are immersed in a network of social relationships.

In comprehensive geriatric assessment, a fundamental axis is social assessment, since, if all people are immersed in a more or less intense network of social relationships, with constant interdependencies, this is even more true in the case of older people. In them, the risk of failure of this network, due to both the physical and psychological changes that occur in this age group, is very high and causes serious health and social management problems. Social networks are defined as the set of relationships and contacts of an individual and is the structural framework of access to the support of that individual. This set of relationships are informal (family, friends and acquaintances) and formal (community and government social services, NGOs, etc.).

Social valuation techniques

Assessing the state of these social networks is difficult, not only because of the obstacles that in the interrogation we find ourselves in any elderly person (problems in the sensory organs, cognitive alterations, comprehension problems and differences in intergenerational concepts) but also because informal social relationships are usually the main ones (in many cases the only ones or not even that) that they can have the elderly person and they have a very important load of values.

Through personal interviews to the patient or to a relevant informant (for example, the main caregiver), always emphasizing empathy and the helping relationship, information about the present and past social network (if possible) is collected to find out losses, that is, the family (especially direct, but also secondary if significant contacts are maintained), and social contacts (friends, groups of cultural and sports activities, etc.).

The economic resources available to meet changing needs. To collect these data, tests and questionnaires adapted to the social and cultural reality of the area in which the assessment is carried out can also be used.

Likewise, it is essential to know if there are formal social contacts, as well as if they are received aid from government organizations and non-governmental: financial aid, support from professional or volunteer caregivers, food at home, day centers or admission to residences. Assessing formal networks is much easier, as there are often records and requests that you can go to to obtain this information.