This thoughtful and compassionate account addresses some of the difficult ethical and medical issues raised in the provision of health care for the dependent elderly patient. Care of the dependent elderly is subject to conflicting priorities arising from the demands of patients, their relatives, the fair allocation of medical and financial resources, and the medical ethos to prolong life. A distinguished team of contributors, selected from the fields of medicine, philosophy, ethics, and law, discuss and critically evaluate these issues. This volume will provide a focus for further debate and interest in this important subject.

The latest addition to the Evidence-Based Book series, "Evidence-Based Geriatric Medicine" provides non-geriatrician clinicians an overview of key topics central to the care of the older patient. This guide focuses on the management of common problems in the elderly taking into account their life situations as well as treatment of specific conditions. Leading geriatricians with expertise in evidence-based medicine utilize the best available evidence and present this information in a concise, easy-to-use, question-based format. "Evidence-Based Geriatric Medicine" is a unique guide to the optimum management of older patients.

To a certain extent the dementias have been forgotten diseases until just recen tly when they were brought to the attention of the general public and health authorities as a result of the increasing number of cases in the aging popula tion, especially among famous people, and because of the efforts of private foundations. The goals of the present volume are to present the dementias to health prac titioners, to provide some basic information on their epidemiology and biolo gical basis and to discuss the diagnostic and clinical problems that physicians and institutions face when caring for demented patients. This book explores the various types of dementias and is not limited to Alzheimer's disease although, as expected, more information is available and presented on this pathology. On the other hand, a few fundamental questions on dementia can only be answe red through a comparison of the various forms. Examples of such questions are the following: Is the loss of cerebral tissue sufficient to cause dementia? Are there thresholds or is there a continuous progression toward the irreversible development of dementia? Are there common pathways in the dementing pro cess? Are there common risk factors? Comparative analysis allows the common and distinctive patterns of the various dementias to be defined, ultimately lea ding to more focused therapeutic interventions."

An indispensable, comprehensive reference for family caregivers. Caregivers hold the key to the health, well-being, and happiness of their aging relatives, partners, or friends. The Caregiver's Encyclopedia provides you with all of the information you need to take the best care of your loved one-from making major medical decisions to making sure you don't burn out. Written by Muriel R. Gillick, MD, a geriatrician with more than 30 years' experience caring for older people, this book highlights the importance of understanding your friend's or family member's overall health. With compassion and expertise, this book will help you "think like a doctor." The content * helps you navigate the health-care system * shares important information about treating basic geriatric syndromes, including delirium, dementia, and falls * teaches you about preventive care options * enables you to manage medical decisions related to both acute and chronic conditions * discusses what Medicare covers-and what it doesn't * guides you through different approaches to care * weighs the risks and benefits of hospital vs. home, nursing home, or hospice care * provides a detailed list of medical supplies that you might want to keep on hand * offers you additional resources and emotional support Throughout, Gillick provides helpful information and concrete concepts that caregivers can put into practice today. Authoritative, comprehensive, holistic, and highly illustrated, The Caregiver's Encyclopedia will help you figure out how to be the best caregiver you can be.

The field of geriatric rehabilitation is constantly changing due to the discovery of new evidence-based evaluation and treatment strategies, as well as the continual support or refutation of older theories and practices. Now in its Fourth Edition, A Clinical Approach to Geriatric Rehabilitation has been updated to be at the forefront of these changes. Drs. Jennifer Bottomley and Carole Lewis have compiled the plethora of available scientific research on geriatric populations and combined it with their years of actual clinical practice. Together this makes this text a complete evidence-based guide to the clinical care of geriatric patients and clients. The first part of A Clinical Approach to Geriatric Rehabilitation, Fourth Edition tackles applied gerontological concepts, providing the general knowledge base necessary for treating geriatric patients. Topics in this section include patient evaluation, an exploration of nutritional needs, and age-related changes in physiology and function, as well as many other foundational areas. In the second section, topics become more focused on patient care concepts like neurologic considerations, cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular considerations, and establishing community-based screening programs. In the final section, chapters center on administration and management, including important subjects such as attitudes, ethics, and legal topics, as well as consultation and research. New and Updated in the Fourth Edition: • Pearls section for succinct highlights of the content within each chapter • The latest evidence-based practice interventions with complete references for further reading • Updated graphics, pictures, and diagrams to illustrate the content • Content summaries and streamlined text for enhanced readability • Updated case studies to exemplify clinical decision-making Designed to provide valuable, real-life clinical knowledge, A Clinical Approach to Geriatric Rehabilitation, Fourth Edition gives physical therapists an evidence-based guide to the clinical aspects of rehabilitative care in older adult patients and clients.

How do digital technologies shape both how people care for each other and, through that, who they are? With technological innovation is on the rise and increasing migration introducing vast distances between family members--a situation additionally complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirements of physical distancing, especially for the most vulnerable – older adults--this is a pertinent question. Through ethnographic fieldwork among families of migrating nurses from Kerala, India, Tanja Ahlin explores how digital technologies shape elder care when adult children and their aging parents live far apart. Coming from a country in which appropriate elder care is closely associated with co-residence, these families tinker with smartphones and social media to establish how care at a distance can and should be done to be considered good. Through the notion of transnational care collectives, Calling Family uncovers the subtle workings of digital technologies on care across countries and continents when being physically together is not feasible. Calling Family provides a better understanding of technological relationality that can only be expected to further intensify in the future.

The proportion of elderly people continues to increase in the western world-nearly a quarter of the population will be over 65 years by the year 2050. Since aging is accompanied by an increase in diseases and by a deterioration in well-being, finding solutions to these social, medical and psychological problems is necessarily a major goal for society. Scientists and medical practitioners are therefore faced with the urgent task of increasing basic knowledge of the biological processes that cause aging. More resources must be put into this research in order to achieve better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that underlie the differences in life span between species and to answer the difficult questions of why some individuals age more quickly than others, and why some develop liver problems, some have heart problems, and others brain problems. The results of such a wide program of research will provide important information about the causes of many life-threatening and/ or debilitating diseases of old age; it will help find ways to prevent some of the ailments that result from aging, and it may well lead to discoveries enabling the prolongation of human life.

Geared toward sleep specialists, neurologists, geriatricians, and psychiatrists, Geriatric Sleep Medicine presents the most current medical research for the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in the older patient. Focused on the prevention of chronic geriatric sleep disorders, this text examines: the most recent and up-to-date classification information of sleep disorders from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine current algorithms for the evaluation and management of sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia, sleep apnea, parasomnia, hypersomnia, restless legs syndrome) in older adults both pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments Geriatric Sleep Medicine also explores special topics of interest to clinicians, including sleep problems post-menopause, in the nursing home setting, and at the end stages of life.

The second edition of PROTOCOLS IN PRIMARY CARE GERIATRICS continues its mission of improving practical, clinical knowledge among physicians and others caring for elderly people, while providing updated information on several major areas in the field. Reflecting current practice trends, a new chapter on home care has been added as well as one on comprehensive geriatric assessment. Revised guidelines for falls, incontinence, and drug treatment are also featured. Designed to provide both quick reference to clinical problem-solving schemes and lists, as well as a lucid, readable discussion of basic topics in geriatrics, the book's value lies in its combination of brief, readable chapters, a section of notes in outline form, staightforward clinical approaches, didactic exercises, and new updated case studies. Family physicians, primary care internists, and other primary specialists caring for elderly people will find this book of great value. It is also not to be missed by residents, as well as nursing homes, hospitals, and indiviual health care professionals, other than physicians, who will benefit from its use as a clinical reference guide.

This book analyzes the development of medical big data projects in Japan.Japan is experiencing unprecedented population aging, and labor productivity has decreased accordingly. Big data analysis of the Japanese medical real-world database (RWD) has the potential to tackle this issue.To allow readers to gain an understanding of Japanese medical big data analysis, the book discusses the original Japanese system that generates medical RWDs in the hospital medical records system, the nationwide standardized health checkup system, and the public medical insurance system in Japan.After introducing four major big data projects in the healthcare-medical field in Japan, the book explains the importance of creating information standards to maintain data quality and to analyze medical big data. It enables readers to analyze which standards are installed in which RWDs, how the standards are maintained, and which issues are prevalent in Japan.This book also describes the ethical processes involved in big data projects involving medical RWDs in Japan.

The appropriate and rational use of drugs by the elderly is a matter of growing medical and social concern. Persons aged 65 years and older constitute about 12%-15% of the population in the Western world, and the total number of the elderly will increase significantly in the coming years. This population accounts for 30% of all the prescription drugs used. Aging, specifically the transition from middle to old age, is a complex process. From the perspective of clinical pharmacology, these pathophysiological changes may reasonably be expected to alter responsiveness to drugs. The age-related differences in response to drugs can arise from alterations in pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. This makes it mandatory that clinical pharma cological studies be carried out in the elderly during extended phase I studies. The older the population likely to use the drug, the more important it is to include the very old. It is also important not to exclude ....: ''lecessarily patients with concomitant illnesses; it is only by observing, such patients that drug-disease interactions can be detected. Reports from surveillance systems have greatly increased our awareness of problems associated with drug therapy in old age."

The second edition of this engaging text reflects a welcome new paradigm for aging-that of aging as a positive stage of life. Written for undergraduate and masters-level students, it provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the wide variety of subject areas within gerontology, and combines research with engrossing narratives, new trends, and controversial topics. Substantially updated, the second edition features integrated content on the diversity of the aging population. State-of-the-art information includes new science on the biology of aging; chronic conditions; integrated care; changing roles for older adults; new demographics; and critical policy issues. The second edition examines career opportunities in gerontology and includes Practical Applications and Activities for Students, new scenarios, and many more charts and graphs. The book also includes PowerPoint slides, a test bank and an instructor's manual. Key Features: Conceptualizes a positive approach to aging, with an emphasis on the advantages and opportunities presented by the large and growing number of older Americans Delivers comprehensive, interdisciplinary coverage of aging topics Dispels negative myths about aging Engages the reader with vivid narratives and thought-provoking activities Offers a broad range of subject areas in the field, from biological aging processes, to economics and living arrangements Provides Instructor's Manual, PowerPoint slides, and multiple resources for additional learning New to the Second Edition: Presents a new chapter on careers in aging, which explores expanding opportunities Explores new and updated demographics Includes new information on personality, palliative care, age-friendly communities, homelessness, social networks, Medicaid and more Presents a new approach to elder abuse focusing on solutions to social isolation, a major cause of abuse Includes coverage of policies throughout the book, as they apply to their role in an aging society, in the workplace and retirement, in providing opportunities for older people to give and receive support, and in health care Uses Bloom's latest taxonomy for Learning Objectives

As the life expectancy of patients with arterial hypertension increases, hypertension in the elderly is becoming a relevant medical and social problem. Indeed, epidemiological trials have shown that the cardiovascular risk in elderly hypertensives is significantly higher than in normotensive subjects of comparable age. However, many characteristics of hypertension in the elderly, such as the haemodynamic pattern, do differ greatly from those of younger hypertensives and therefore the results obtained in younger patients cannot be extrapolated to older hypertensives. In this book, experts on hypertension have examined different aspects of hypertension in the elderly: from the changes in the cardiovascular system associated with ageing, to the role of ambulatory blood pressure measurement in the diagnosis of hypertension and the results of the recent clinical trials into the efficacy and tolerability of antihypertensive drugs. This book covers all the clinical aspects of hypertension in the elderly in such a way that it will become a valuable tool for medical students, general practitioners and specialists in hypertension alike.

Although age has been recognized as a risk factor for late-onset dementia of Alzheimer type, its etiology is unknown as yet. Several age-related metabolic abnormalities may thus become important for the pathogenesis of the late-onset form. Studies at the cellular/molecular level in brain tissue are possible post mortem, but lack information on the beginning of the disorder. In this supplement, different approaches are dealt with how to induce structural and/or metabolic abnormalities in relevant cell cultures, in brain slices and in experimental animals, and how behavioral changes parallel the metabolic variations.

Trauma Among Older Adults presents an integrative model of treatment that considers current theories of treatment in light of special considerations relating to elderly patients. The book provides case studies, vignettes, and discussions, and demonstrates the importance of considering the personality, memory, and familial history of an elderly individual who has suffered a trauma.

The main focus of this new edition remains the practical assessment and management of people presenting with psychiatric symptoms in late life. The core of the book describes the common presentations of depression, confusion, somatic preoccupation, hallucinations and delusions. Case vignettes are used to illustrate the approach to clinical problems. There is special emphasis on the complex interaction of social, psychological and medical factors and the need for close multi-disciplinary teamwork. The new edition has been revised to: update the clinical approach, update patient management under new policies, provide a precise diagnostic system and structure the book in keeping with today's practice.;This book should be of interest to postgraduate students in psychiatry or geriatrics; medical students; clinical psychologists; and nurses and other health professionals.

In this issue, guest editors bring their considerable expertise to this important topic. Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in the field, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create these timely topic-based reviews.

In this issue of Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, guest editors Edward Schneider and Brandon K. Koretz bring their considerable expertise to the topic of polypharmacy. Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in polypharmacy, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field; Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create these timely topic-based reviews.

The issue of elderly care is becoming increasingly important in both "developed" and "developing" countries alike as population structures change, and the trend towards ageing populations gathers momentum. This text presents a diverse range of progressive programmes from all parts of the world for the care of elderly people, ranging from community care schemes to fitness and income generation.;This book should be of interest to students of gerontology, as well as government planners and international agencies/charities concerned with ageing, and health care providers and planners.

Aging and Ethics explores the many ethical issues involving the elderly, their care, and their role in society-urgent concerns that have only recently come to the forefront.
There are now eight times more Americans over the age of sixty-five than at the turn of this century; their proportion to the rest of the population has almost tripled. And this trend is expected to accelerate into the next century!
This aging of society has raised an increasing number of deep and troubling questions: a [ What are our responsibilities toward aging family members? a [ What can we reasonably expect in our own old age? a [ What special role (if any) do older persons play in our society? a [ How can medical resources be distributed justly between generations? a [ How can institutions that serve the elderly preserve values such as autonomy, self-respect, and dignity?
Nancy Jecker's timely new volume deals with these and other issues on four levels: the aging individual; aging and filial responsibility; distributive justice in an aging society; and philosophical reflections on aging and death.
Aging and Ethics is must reading for professionals in a variety of health-related and counseling fields, as well as for the growing number of concerned laypeople who need to better understand the often compelling issues associated with aging today.

In 2009 jahrt sich die Wiedergrundung der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften zum hundertsten Mal. Aus diesem Anlass veranstaltet die Landesakademie jeweils gemeinsam mit den acht Universitaten des Landes Baden-Wurttemberg Tagungen oder Vortragsreihen. Das Symposium "Altern gestalten - Medizin, Technik, Umwelt", dessen systematisch geordnete Beitrage diesen Band fullen, wird so gemeinsam mit der Universitat Stuttgart und der Robert Bosch Stiftung geplant und durchgefuhrt. Themenfelder sind: Biologische Plastizitat des Alternsprozesses, moegliche molekulare, zellulare und biochemische Regenerationsprozesse. Auf der mikro- und makrotechnologischen Ebene werden verfugbare Assistenz- und Ersatzsysteme demonstriert, einschliesslich der vielfaltigen Methoden von Gelenkrekonstruktion oder -ersatz, und die Unterstutzungs- und Ersatzsysteme fur defekte Sinnesorgane. Die damit eroeffneten Moeglichkeiten, ungleiches Altern von wichtigen Funktionstragern des Koerpers auszugleichen, werden von fuhrenden Wissenschaftlern der jeweiligen Disziplinen demonstriert. Auch das aktuelle Wissen um die altersgerechte Gestaltung der Umwelt und der Wissensstand uber Assistenzsysteme im Automobil, die auch bei altersbedingten Einschrankungen von Beweglichkeit, Kraft, Sicht und Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit mehr Bedienungskomfort und Fahrsicherheit gewahren, wird vermittelt.

The leading reference in the field of geriatric care, Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 8th Edition, by Drs. Howard M. Fillit, Kenneth Rockwood, and John B. Young, provides a contemporary, global perspective on topics of importance to today's gerontologists, internal medicine physicians, and family doctors. An increased focus on frailty, along with coverage of key issues in gerontology, disease-specific geriatrics, and complex syndromes specific to the elderly, makes this 8th Edition the reference you'll turn to in order to meet the unique challenges posed by this growing patient population. Consistent discussions of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and more make reference quick and easy. More than 250 figures, including algorithms, photographs, and tables, complement the text and help you find what you need on a given condition. Clinical relevance of the latest scientific findings helps you easily apply the material to everyday practice. A new chapter on frailty, plus an emphasis on frailty throughout the book, addresses the complex medical and social issues that affect care, and the specific knowledge and skills essential for meeting your patients' complex needs. New content brings you up to date with information on gerontechnology, emergency and pre-hospital care, HIV and aging, intensive treatment of older adults, telemedicine, the built environment, and transcultural geriatrics. New editor Professor John Young brings a fresh perspective and unique expertise to this edition.

Health care professionals are now more frequently consulted about emotional and sexual matters by older patients. There is a wealth of information available about the psychological, medical and sociological processes of ageing that has become available in recent years. Demographic studies demonstrate a world-wide tendency, most pronounced in the West, towards more people living into later decades of life.;Dr Gibson has brought all this information together with the object of increasing the quality of care available. In so doing, he explodes many myths, addresses both emotional and sexual life in the context of health and illness, the problems associated with ageist discrimination and the needs of those with different sexual preferences.;Drawing from a wide body of knowledge, the author writes with insight in the first major work of its kind. The book seeks to surprise and equip doctors, clinical psychologists, counsellors, nurses, social workers and clergy, in their respective professions, as they consider their own role in an ageing society which has greater expectations for health and quality of relationships.

The papers compiled in this supplementum are a selection of the best con th tributions presented at the 19 Central-European Neurological Symposium (CNS 19) held on June 29 - July 1, 1989 in Vienna. The main topic of this conference was degenerative and age-associated neurological diseases. In recent decades life expectancy has dramatically increased, at least in the industrialized countries. This has led to extreme distortions of the so-called population pyramids that no longer look like such but begin to almost resemble cylinders. As a consequence of this "overaging" of the population, diseases that are associated with age have become much more common than before. It was thus more than reasonable to devote a congress of the CNS series to these important neurological diseases. The following fields of interest are covered: Age-associated memory impairment (AAMI), Alzheimer's and other dementias, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, stroke and others. Concerning the de men tias, some papers deal with diagnosis employing neuro-imaging methods such as MRI, CT, PET and SPECT, others using electrophysiological methods. An important aspect in the early preclinical diagnosis of dementia is the inclusion of neuropsychological tests to enhance the chance of effec tive early treatment. Also drugs that are now under clinical investigation are discussed and preliminary results are presented."

Since the first edition of this book was published there have been considerable changes in continuing care. NHS nursing homes have been created, enthusiasts have developed new initiatives, and attempts have been made to improve attitudes. The recent White Paper on Community Care is likely to accelerate the transfer of large numbers of elderly patients from long-stay hospital beds to private-sector accommodation: a move often accompanied by much anxiety about standards of care. Although Health Authorities visit private nursing homes and apply the National Association of Health Authorities' standards to them, anxieties continue. Unfortunately for the patients who remain in hospital, many Health Authorities seem reluctant to apply these same standards to their own long-stay departments, since many would fail abysmally. The 1987 annual report of the Health Advisory Service (see Chapter 3) presents a damning indictment of the care given to old people: A recent review of twelve consecutive HAS Reports on services for older people in hospitals shows that long-stay wards consistently offered environments which were unable to offer privacy, homely surroundings, personal space and possessions or adequate furniture. In the twelve districts there was not one comprehensive personalised clothing service. Half of the reports commented on the lack of effec- tive management of continence. Catering was often provided according to the needs of the institution rather than those of the resident patients.