As people age, the ability to do daily activities (functional ability) declines to some degree in every person. Also, older people, on average, tend to have more disorders and disabilities than do younger people. But the changes that accompany aging are more than just changes in health. Social issues (such as living arrangements and type of daily activities) influence an older person's risk and experience of illness.
Doctors often do what is called a social history to help them and other members of the health care team evaluate a person's care needs and social support. Doctors use the social history to help the older person and any caregivers make plans for care. Doctors may ask questions about the following:
Family members and the relationships between the older person and family members
Marital or companion status
Relationships with people they see regularly
Living arrangements
Financial status
Work history
Education
Typical daily activities (for example, how meals are prepared, what activities add meaning to life, and where problems may be occurring)
Need for and availability of caregivers
History of losses, traumas (for example, patterns of family violence, episodes of sexual assault, or lifetimes of racial oppression), and the coping strengths borne out of adversity
History of substance use and legal issues
The older person's own caregiving responsibilities (because older people who are caring for family members may be reluctant to report their own symptoms lest any resulting medical procedures or hospitalization interfere with caregiving)
Concerns about home, neighborhood, transportation, or access to goods and services
Other specific worries or stresses in daily life
