Zawisa et al reported a number of scales for identifying self-neglect in an older adult. The Objective Assessment of the Level of Self Neglect Standards of Living Arrangements (OALSN-SLA) describes how the person lives. The authors are from Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland.
Patient selection: >= 65 years or older
Parameters:
(1) untidy apartment/home (dust, dirty floor, etc)
(2) dirty or torn curtains
(3) squalor around the apartment/home
(4) accumulation of boxes, old newspapers, plastic bags, bottles, etc
(5) too many animals with evidence of neglect
(6) accumulation of rubbish
(7) apartment/home requires renovation
(8) insect infestation
(9) presence of alcohol smell
(10) presence of urine or feces smell
|
Parameter |
Response |
Points |
|
untidy apartment/home |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
5 |
|
|
moderate extent |
7 |
|
|
high extent |
8 |
|
|
very high extent |
9 |
|
dirty or torn curtains |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
7 |
|
|
moderate extent |
12 |
|
|
high extent |
14 |
|
|
very high extent |
16 |
|
squalor |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
6 |
|
|
moderate extent |
8 |
|
|
high extent |
12 |
|
|
very high extent |
13 |
|
accumulation of junk |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
6 |
|
|
moderate extent |
7 |
|
|
high extent |
9 |
|
|
very high extent |
10 |
|
too many animals |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
5 |
|
|
moderate extent |
6 |
|
|
high extent |
7 |
|
|
very high extent |
8 |
|
accumulation of rubbish |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
9 |
|
|
moderate extent |
13 |
|
|
high extent |
16 |
|
|
very high extent |
17 |
|
rooms need renovation |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
5 |
|
|
moderate extent |
6 |
|
|
high extent |
8 |
|
|
very high extent |
9 |
|
insect infestation |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
6 |
|
|
moderate extent |
7 |
|
|
high extent |
8 |
|
|
very high extent |
9 |
|
alcohol smell |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
3 |
|
|
moderate extent |
4 |
|
|
high extent |
5 |
|
|
very high extent |
6 |
|
urine or feces smell |
not at all |
0 |
|
|
small extent |
1 |
|
|
moderate extent |
1 |
|
|
high extent |
2 |
|
|
very high extent |
3 |
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 200
• The higher the score the greater the risk of self-neglect.
