Clinicians involved in the care of older people use assessment scales on a daily basis to help diagnose, treat and manage the spectra of disease and disability they encounter. However, there are huge numbers of assessment scales available and it can be difficult to know which scales to use and when.

Dr Gupta's 150-page book is a useful starting point. Section 1 of the book is an excellent and concise overview of why and when we should use assessment scales and what we can measure. It clearly explains concepts such as reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and responsiveness to change. Section 2 then considers 25 assessment scales in depth, covering physical health, mental health (including depression and cognition) and functional ability. There is an overview of scoring, clinical application of the scale, validity and limitations of the scale. For some of the areas there is a brief discussion of other scales available. Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, not all of the scales considered in the book could be reproduced.

The book is easy to read and the scales are explained clearly. Some of the scales have more detailed guidelines to help practitioners administer them and this is of obvious practical benefit. The sections on limitations of use are helpful. References are brief but some web links are also included to direct the reader to more detailed information.

While one of the strengths of the book is its brevity it is also one of its major drawbacks. It is not clear why and how the scales included here were chosen, although the author does state that some scales (not named) were excluded due to copyright issues. However, the scales considered are commonly used and most will be familiar to readers to some extent, depending on their background. While mental health assessment scales are covered, the book seems to be biased towards physical health assessment within a hospital setting. Falls are of course common in older people and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, but the inclusion of six different scales on balance and more scales on functional mobility that can only be administered by trained therapists is too detailed and takes up valuable room in a short handbook. The Glasgow Coma Scale is also included although it is not clear why. Measurement of carer stress and burden is briefly mentioned but no assessment scales are considered in detail. In terms of identifying the best assessment scale to use in a particular setting or clinical encounter the author does not reference recent evidence-based practice guidelines and this is a missed opportunity which would have been extremely helpful for the reader.

This book is an excellent starting point for trainees from all disciplines in geriatrics and psychogeriatrics and a welcome addition to any departmental library. It is also a useful quick reference guide for other professionals who come into contact with older people in their clinical practice, but may be of limited interest to specialists in this field.