Foundations of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment

Comprehensive geriatric assessment is a structured, multidimensional evaluation of older adults that supports holistic care planning. Sound practice depends on a clear understanding of the domains and tools that compose it. This foundational course provides that base. By the end of this course you will be able to describe the purpose and structure of comprehensive geriatric assessment, identify the major domains evaluated, recognize commonly used screening tools, and apply the assessment framework to clinical reasoning. What you will learn: - The conceptual basis of comprehensive geriatric assessment - The major domains evaluated including medical, cognitive, functional, psychological, social, and environmental - Common functional assessment tools including activities of daily living and instrumental ADL - Common cognitive screening tools and their indications - Common mood and depression screening tools - The role of medication review including polypharmacy and prescribing cascades - Documentation frameworks that support care planning across the care team The course uses readings, tool overviews, case examples, and reflection questions. Each module ends with applied exercises. This course is written for clinicians, nurses, social workers, and other team members caring for older adults. By the end you will have a structured understanding of comprehensive geriatric assessment as a multidimensional evaluation tool and a clearer sense of how to apply it in clinical settings.