AUTHOR=Tan Woan Shin , Gao Jonathan , Ho Ezra , Lau Lay Khoon , Lun Penny , Ding Yew Yoong 

TITLE=Brief geriatric assessments for older adults in the community in Singapore: a policy brief

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1584990

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1584990

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Early detection and assessment of geriatric syndromes and social issues is important to help older adults maintain health and functional ability. While comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is considered the gold standard, it is resource intensive to implement. Shorter forms such as a brief geriatric assessment (BGA) could be an alternative. We adopted a multi-method, three-phase study to understand how BGAs could be implemented in the community. Findings suggest that BGAs can help to identify older adults with unmet needs or geriatric syndromes for further appropriate assessments. A BGA should include an assessment of physical health, psychological health, functional ability, mobility, and social needs. Stakeholder dialogues emphasised that BGAs should align with the existing system of screening and assessments spearheaded by other governmental agencies.