How Do You Diagnose Failure To Thrive In The Elderly?
Failure to thrive in geriatric patients is a state of decline that may be caused by factors such as chronic diseases or functional impairments. It is characterized by a gradual physical decline accompanied by apathy and a loss of willingness to eat or drink. Failure to thrive is prevalent in hospitalized veterans and affects up to 60 percent of these patients. Here’s how to diagnose failure to thrive in the elderly. Weigh the elderly patient. The Institute of Medicine includes weight loss of more than 5 percent of the baseline as the only objective criteria for failure to thrive. A diagnosis is therefore almost entirely clinical. Conduct an initial evaluation of the patient’s level of cognitive impairment, depression, impaired physical function and malnutrition. These factors are considered predictive of the outcome of a failure to thrive. Obtain a thorough history and physical examination. The goal of this phase of the evaluation is to identify any underlying medical conditions that m
