Elder Assessment Instrument (EAI)

Date

1984

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Journal of Gerontological Nursing

Abstract

Fulmer developed the Elder Assessment Instrument (EAI) in 1984 and updated it in 2003 to allow professionals “in all clinical settings” to screen for suspected elder abuse victims. EAI is designed for use only by clinicians screening their patients. The screening instrument is not a questionnaire with a scoring mechanism like many other tools, but rather a Likert scale and tracker for the clinician to rate whether there is no evidence, possible evidence, probably evidence, or definite evidence of elder abuse along five main categories of 41 health indicators. The instrument categories include a space for general assessment, “Possible Abuse Indicators,” “Possible Neglect Indicators,” “Possible Exploitation Indicators, and “Possible Abandonment Indicators” with room for an overall summary at the end. Fulmer directs clinicians using EAI to refer their patients to social services if there is any positive evidence of abuse (without clinical explanation) on any health indicator, or if the patient complains of mistreatment. There is no target population explicitly outlined in EAI. EAI is available for public use, but parties should contact The Journal of Gerontological Nursing if they are interested in reprinting this tool. (CVR Abstract)

Description

Training: Unspecified
Number of Items: 41

Keywords

Elder Abuse, Assessment Tool, Purpose: Detection, Administration: Practitioner Observation, Population: Older Adults, General Assessment, Possible Abuse Indicators, Possible Neglect Indicators, Possible Exploitation Indicators, Possible Abandonment, Summary of Elder Abuse Indicators

Citation

Fulmer, T. (2003). Elder abuse and neglect assessment. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 29(6), 4-5.

DOI