Biopsychosocial assessment tools for the elderly – Assessment summary sheet

Test: Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA)

Year: 1986

Domain: Biological

Assessment Tool Category: Physical function

Variations/translations: None known.

Setting: Any setting

Method of delivery: Physical assessment

Description: The Tinetti assessment is a physical task-oriented scale which measures the gait
and balance activities of older persons.

Scoring/interpretation: Scored on a three point ordinal scale which ranges from 0 to 2. “2” indicates the highest level of independence, and “0” indicates the highest level of impairment.
The two part scale includes a total balance score of 16 and total gait score of 12, for a total possible score of 28. Scores of 25-28 indicate low fall risk, 19-24 medium fall risk, and < 19 high fall risk.

Time to administer: 15 to 20 minutes.

Availability: The tool is widely available on the internet, especially at sites dedicated to geriatric assessment tools, or fall risk assessments.

Software: N/A

Website: http://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/igec/tools/categoryMenu.asp?categoryID=3

Qualitative/Quantitative: Quantitative

Validity: Concurrent validity 0.64 – 0.70. Predictive validity: sensitivity 61.5% and specificity 69.5% (tested in a group of 60 community dwelling older persons). The usefulness of the POMA scales for predicting falls is limited.

Reliability: Interrater reliability 0.75 to 0.90 reported. Test-retest reliability reported from 0.88 to 0.97 for different populations studied.

References:

Faber, M.J., Bosscher, R.J., & van Wieringen, P.C.W. (2006). Clinimetric properties of the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment. Physical Therapy, 7, 944-954.

Lin, M.R., Hwang, H,F., Hu, M,H., Wu, H.D., Wang, Y.W., & Huang, F.C. (2004).
Psychometric comparisons of the timed up and go, one-leg stand, functional reach, and Tinetti balance measures in community-dwelling older people. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 52(8), 1343-8.

Tinetti, M.E. (1986). Performance-oriented assessment of mobility problems in elderly patients. Journal of the American Geriatric Society,34(2),119-126.

Tinetti, M.E., Williams, T.F., & Mayewski, R. (1986). Fall risk index for elderly patients based on number of chronic disabilities. American Journal of Medicine, 80, 429–434.

Comments: Equipment needed: Hard chair without arms, stopwatch, 15 ft walkway.