For example within the aging population their

system alters, their senses are diminishing, and their cognitive ability is sometimes impaired.
Therefore, special attention must be taken when completing the health assessment. The
involvement of the patient, caregiver, family, and the use of other diagnostic tools are necessary
to avoid any types of discrepancies that may preclude the clinician from reaching the proper
diagnosis, thus undertreating the patient problem (Ball et al., 2015).
Risk Assessment
The 76 year-old African-American male with disabilities is at an increased risk of injury.
During the interview, the patient's functional status must be evaluated. Assessing the patient' self-
care deficit is necessary. Functional assessment consists of the patient's ability to provide ADLs,
manage their finances, the agility to go from place to place freely, maintain a safe home, and the
ability to be consistent with his medical care. Any deviation from the latter statement places the
patient in imminent danger for injury. In any situation where a patient is found to be at an
increased risk for injury the clinician can solicit the assistance of the social worker to address the
patient's living situation or arrange for additional resources to maintain the well-being of patients
(Ball et al., 2015).
Targeted Questions
During the interview it is imperative that the clinician ask suitable questions and avoid
labeling the patient (Ball et al., 2015). The types of questions ask must be clearly stated so that
the respondent can freely give an honest feedback. According to Ball et al. (2017) open-ended
question allows a person the freedom to express their thoughts or problems. Targeted questions
are designed to give the clinician some ideas about the patient and their healthcare needs or
problems. Some examples of targeted questions may include: What brought you here today?

How did you get here? How long have you experienced those symptoms? Are you able to take