This open access book provides a comprehensive perspective on the concept of ageism, its origins, the manifestation and consequences of ageism, as well as ways to respond to and research ageism. The book represents a collaborative effort of researchers from over 20 countries and a variety of disciplines, including, psychology, sociology, gerontology, geriatrics, pharmacology, law, geography, design, engineering, policy and media studies. The contributors have collaborated to produce a truly stimulating and educating book on ageism which brings a clear overview of the state of the art in the field. The book serves as a catalyst to generate research, policy and public interest in the field of ageism and to reconstruct the image of old age and will be of interest to researchers and students in gerontology and geriatrics.

With the goal of alleviating the paucity of knowledge about advanced dementia, and helping to improve the care and services that are increasingly needed for the growing numbers of people living with dementia-type diseases, this book provides evidence-based measurement scales for use by researchers and care providers who are seeking to improve our understanding of the final stages of this disease. Now collected in a single place are the best available research tools for use with this unique population, accompanied by knowledgeable reviews by the book's internationally recognized authors and by the original journal articles that explain each scale s development and validity. All scales presented in this unique resource have been proven effective in eliciting meaningful data from study subjects, patients, and long-term care residents whose communication difficulties reduce their ability to self-report or respond in traditionally measured ways. These customized scales are useful for assessing the following domains in late-stage or end-of-life dementia care: Dementia severity, Satisfaction with care, Symptom management, Comfort during dying, Quality of life, Activity involvement, Discomfort, Pain, Quality of visits, Agitation, Rejection of care

This text provides a comprehensive, state of the art review of this field and will serve as a resource for urologists, colorectal surgeons, geriatricians, and gynecologists as well as researchers interested in neuromuscular phenomena in the pelvis. The book also reviews new data regarding risk factors for pelvic floor muscle dysfunction and profiles new minimally invasive surgical strategies for well known pelvic disease processes. Each chapter is chock full of data from landmark trials which have been published over the past few years and placed in context with respect to current management techniques for pelvic floor disorders. Written by experts in their field, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Pelvic Surgery in the Elderly: An Integrated Approach provides a concise yet comprehensive summary to help guide patient management.

This book presents a comprehensive and state-of the-art approach to vascular disease for the geriatric patient, focusing on vascular pathology and interventions but also on perioperative care, anesthetic care, functional outcomes and quality of life, as well as ethical considerations that impact decision making. The book addresses open and endovascular interventions in different vascular beds, as well as preoperative workup and optimization, anesthetic considerations, all aspects and expectations of the postoperative care and recovery and is the only book to include specialize in the intricacies of the care of the geriatric patients, the challenging recovery and neurocognitive changes, and ethical considerations for the end stage geriatric patient or in the setting of postoperative complications. Written by experts in the field, each section addresses patient selection, pre-operative considerations, technical conduct of the most common operations with open or endovascular options, and avoiding complications. A brief review of the existing literature addressing the particular topic follows in each section. With its concise yet comprehensive summary of the field, Vascular Disease in Older Adults is the ultimate resource for geriatricians, cardiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and all physicians of who care for the aging patient with vascular disease.

This book provides a current perspective on alcohol and aging to better understand the trends, costs, benefits, and clinical and community evidenced-based strategies. This book embraces not only the physical, cognitive, psychological, and social health benefits of moderate drinking in the elderly, it also delves into the risks of excessive drinking, including physical and psychiatric morbidity, neurodegeneration, medication complications, and accidents and injuries, and loss of independence. Written by experts in the field, this book is the only current text that includes the most current scientific, research, empirical, and practice information alongside a comprehensive review of the status of the field that will help guide alcohol use management and stimulate future research. Alcohol and Aging is the ultimate resource for all researchers, educators, clinicians, and professionals working with older adults who drink.

Psychological, social, and spiritual care is as important as physical care at the end of life. Yet caregivers often feel ill-equipped to give that nonphysical care. This book shows how to do it. The book addresses all caregivers who attend dying patients: doctors, nurses, chaplains, clergy in the pastorate, social workers, clinical psychologists, family caregivers, and others. It covers such topics as the functional and emotional trajectories of dying; the varied approaches of patients and caregivers to end-of-life decisions; culturally based beliefs about dying; the differences between depression and grief; and people's views about the right time to die, the death experience itself, and the afterlife. For each topic the book introduces core concepts and summarizes recent research about them. The book presents much of its material in readable tables for easy reference; applies the material to real-life cases; lists the main "take home" points for each chapter; and gives references for additional reading. The book helps caregivers anticipate the reactions of patients and survivors to end-of-life traumas and suggests how caregivers can respond insightfully and compassionately. At the same time the book challenges caregivers to think through their own views about death and dying. This book, therefore, is a must-read for all caregivers professional and nonprofessional alike who strive to give their patients comprehensive, high-quality end-of-life care.

This book focuses on the circumstances that lead to the marked increased vulnerability of seniors and are most challenging to clinicians including the presence of multiple chronic medical conditions, variable losses of physiological function, and heterogeneity among individuals. Written by the experts who lead the initiative to deliver high quality surgical and medical care to the elderly, Geriatrics for Specialists is the first book of its kind to provide the comprehensive knowledge specialists and associated generalists need to deliver quality health care to seniors. With topics on important cross cutting issues like frailty, delirium and polypharmacy and specialty chapters on emergency medicine, anesthesia, many surgical and medical disciplines and rehabilitation, this book provides clinicians the knowledge and tools needed to evaluate, treat and manage the unique needs of seniors. Geriatrics for Specialists was created as a resource for specialist, generalists and allied health professionals and their students and trainees who care for elderly patients.

This volume provides insight into the pivotal roles of stem cells, exosomes and other microvesicles in biofunction and molecular mechanisms and their therapeutic potential in translational nanomedicine. It further highlights evidence from recent studies as to how stem cell derived exosomes and microRNAs may restore and maintain tissue homeostasis, enable cells to recover critical cellular functions and begin repair regeneration. These early studies in animal models of aging also show evidence of improved immune, cardiovascular and cognitive functions as well as improved health span and life span. The use of exosomes from body fluids to define specific biomarkers for various tumors may also clear the path to patient-targeted treatments by developing exosome-derived microRNA based cancer therapeutics. It is essential reading for graduate students, research fellow and biomedical researchers in academia or the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

The present book intends to provide an update on immunosenescence and how deficiencies in the immune system contribute to a higher susceptibility to infections, decline in organ function, reduced vaccination responses, age-related disease and the ageing process itself, negatively affecting longevity. Our focus is on the main changes in immune system cells and their products occurring during the ageing process and the possible consequences for health and disease. This includes: discussion of the modulatory and/or suppressive mechanisms associated with the alterations in T regulatory cells, B regulatory cells and Myeloid Derived Suppressor cells; changes in the immune system observed in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, lung disease and frailty will also be discussed. Most importantly we provide recent literature information about possible interventions (focusing on physical activity) that could alleviate the negative effects of immunosenescence. The Ageing Immune System and Health is a comprehensive guide on the field intended to all physicians, researchers, professors and students interested on relationship between immune system, ageing and health.

This book discusses theoretical issues, standards, and professional considerations arising when legal and health practitioners undertake legal capacity assessments in the context of wills, enduring powers of attorney and advance health directives. The potential loss of cognition can erode autonomy as individuals lose the ability to make their own legally recognised decisions. This is an inescapable problem with significant legal, social, health and policy repercussions. This work synthesises and critically analyses the existing literature, including some of the best assessment models and guiding principles internationally, to generate a new methodology and understanding of what capacity assessment best practice means. This includes the impact of assessments on individual autonomy - the ideal method building upon respect for both autonomy as well as fundamental human rights. The triggers to assess capacity, who to involve in the assessment process, as well as how to conduct that assessment process are discussed. The crucial relationship between the legal and health professionals involved in assessments, including growing concerns around practitioner liability, is also explored. This analysis is undertaken through the innovative use of a therapeutic jurisprudence lens, the effect of which is to contribute new knowledge to this complex field.

This book documents the state of the art in the field of ambient assisted living (AAL), highlighting the impressive potential of novel methodologies and technologies to enhance well-being and promote active ageing. The coverage is wide ranging, with sections on assistive devices, elderly people monitoring, home rehabilitation, ICT solutions for AAL, living with chronic conditions, robotic assistance for the elderly, sensing technologies for AAL, and smart housing. The book comprises a selection of the best papers presented at the 7th Italian Forum on Ambient Assisted Living (ForitAAL 2016), which was held in Pisa, Italy, in June 2016 and brought together end users, technology teams, and policy makers to develop a consensus on how to improve provision for elderly and impaired people. Readers will find that the expert contributions offer clear insights into the ways in which the most recent exciti ng advances may be expected to assist in addressing the needs of the elderly and those with chronic conditions.

The book describes the major degenerative processes and pathologies exacerbated by senescence and how they can be alleviated through retardation of cellular aging. Topics discussed include neurodegenerative disease, protein oxidation, cerebrovascular disease, particle-induced inflammation and cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, ovarian aging, dietary and endogenous anti-oxidants in management of Parkinson's disease, and effects of exercise on oxidation and inflammation. The nineteen expertly authored chapters are organized into three sections in order to present a complete picture to the reader: Age Related Cellular Events, Role of Inflammatory and Oxidative Processes in Age-Related Diseases, and Retardation of Cellular Aging. Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Age-Related Disease draws from a variety of international perspectives and provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between disease, cell aging, and oxidative stress, as well as potential for preventing or slowing these processes. This installment of Springer's Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice is ideal for researchers, clinicians, and advanced graduate students in the fields of cardiology, neuroscience, biogerontolgy, and cell biology.

DDDDDDDDDDDD Effective management logically follows accurate diagnosis. Such logic often is difficult to apply in practice. Absolute diagnostic accuracy may not be possible, particularly in the field of primary care, when management has to be on analyis of symptoms and on knowledge of the individual patient and family. This series follows that on Problems in Practice which was concerned more with diagnosis in the widest sense and this series deals more defini tively with general care and specific treatment of symptoms and diseases. Good management must include knowledge of the nature, course and outcome of the conditions, as well as prominent clinical features and as sessment and investigations, but the emphasis is on what to do best for the patient. Family medical practitioners have particular difficulties and advantages in their work. Because they often work in professional islation in the com munity and deal with relatively small numbers of near-normal patients their experience with the more serious and more rare conditions is restricted. They find it difficult to remain up-to-date with medical advances and even more difficult to decide on the suitability and application of new and rela tively untried methods compared with those that are 'old' and well proven. Their advantages are that because of long-term continuous care for their patients they have come to know them and their families well and are able to become familiar with the more common and less serious diseases of their communities."

This clear-sighted volume introduces the concept of "disruptive cooperation"- transformative partnerships between the health and technology sectors to eliminate widespread healthcare problems such as inequities, waste, and inappropriate care. Emphasizing the most pressing issues of a world growing older with long-term chronic illness, it unveils a new framework for personalized, integrative service based in mobile technologies. Coverage analyzes social aspects of illness and health, clinically robust uses of health data, and wireless and wearable applications in intervention, prevention, and health promotion. And case studies from digital health innovators illustrate opportunities for coordinating the service delivery, business, research/science, and policy sectors to promote healthier aging worldwide. Included among the topics: Cooperation in aging services technologies The quantified self, wearables, and the tracking revolution Smart healthy cities: public-private partnerships Beyond silos to data analytics for population health Cooperation for building secure standards for health data Peer-to-peer platforms for physicians in underserved areas: a human rights approach to social media in medicine Disruptive Cooperation in Digital Health will energize digital health and healthcare professionals in both non-profit and for-profit settings. Policymakers and public health professionals with an interest in innovation policy should find it an inspiring ideabook.

This book brings together in one volume the current state of ageing research in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The authors are leading researchers in the field, placing this topic in the context of human ageing, describing how and why basic discoveries in this simple organism have impacted our prospects for intervention in the ageing process. The authors cover a broad range of topics with regards to organismal and reproductive ageing including anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes, as well as genetic and environmental interventions that promote longevity and ameliorate age-related disease. Ageing is the single most important factor determining the onset of human disease in developed countries. With current worldwide demographic trends indicating that the number of individuals over the age of 65 will continue to rise, it is clear that an understanding of the processes that underpin ageing and age-related disease represents a key challenge in the biomedical sciences. In recent years there have been huge advances in our understanding of the ageing process and many of these have stemmed from genetic analysis of C. elegans. With no analogous book in this subject area this work will be of interest to a wide audience, ranging from academic researchers to the general public.

This newly expanded and updated fifth edition will be the largest and most comprehensive of the five editions and new topics and chapter authors have been added. The authors have created the most comprehensive and up-to-date review of the nutritional strategies available for the prevention of disease and the promotion of health through nutrition. Patients are looking for credible information from their health care providers about a whole range of subjects covered here, including ss-carotene, lycopene, antioxidants, folate, and the myriad of bioactive phytochemicals found in garlic and other foods. With sections on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and pregnancy among many others, this volume will be of great value to practicing health professionals, including physicians, nutritionists, dentists, pharmacists, dieticians, health educators, policy makers, health economists, regulatory agencies and research investigators. An entire section covers nutrition transitions around the world including Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia as well as goals for preventive nutrition in developing countries. Preventive Nutrition: The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals, 5th Ed. is an important resource for thousands of health professionals who have been utilizing the previous editions since 1997.

This book aims to address the major aspects of future drug product development and therapy for older adults, giving practical guidance for the rational product and clinical development and prescribing of drug products to this ever growing segment of the population. With authors coming from key "aging" markets such as Europe, the USA, China and Japan, the book will provide valuable information for students, scientists, regulators, practitioners, and other healthcare professionals from academia, industry and regulatory bodies.

This book approaches the concept of adjustment to aging and endeavors to build reader understanding of this construct through a critical review and discussion. Once the reader understands the origins and nature of adjustment to aging, a second innovation encompasses the development of a proposed empirical model of adjustment to aging and the analysis of its components and correlates. Measures to assess adjustment to aging, policies, programs and interventions comprising adjustment to aging and its components and correlates will also be addressed. Another innovation includes the multidimensional experience of adjustment to aging from the cultural perspective. Lastly, it addresses areas of future development related to this construct.Future policies and interventions in older populations need to integrate and debate the role of adjustment to aging, and ultimately consider a variety of different strategies, each with a different set of costs and benefits. Health and social professionals will be at the vanguard of policy making and community and institutional interventions. Hence, resources and tools to adequately prepare these individuals for the future years will be vital. It is the author's hope that this resource can be valuable for professionals and students working within the field of aging, as they develop research and intervention policies encompassing adjustment to aging in the coming years.

This book covers the origins and subsequent history of research results in which attempts have been made to clarify issues related to cellular ageing, senescence, and age-related pathologies including cancer. Cellular Ageing and Replicative Senescence revisits more than fifty-five years of research based on the discovery that cultured normal cells are mortal and the interpretation that this phenomenon is associated with the origins of ageing. The mortality of normal cells and the immortality of cancer cells were also reported to have in vivo counterparts. Thus began the field of cytogerontology. Cellular Ageing and Replicative Senescence is organized into five sections: history and origins; serial passaging and progressive ageing; cell cycle arrest and senescence; system modulation; and recapitulation and future expectations. These issues are discussed by leading thinkers and researchers in biogerontology and cytogerontology. This collection of articles provides state-of-the-art information, and will encourage students, teachers, health care professionals and others interested in the biology of ageing to explore the fascinating and challenging question of why and how our cells age, and what can and cannot be done about it.

This book is designed to present the clinical geriatric trends within general internal medicine and family practice, which practitioners often encounter in caring for their older adult patients. Chapters focus on increasingly difficult clinical decisions that practitioners have to make in caring for older adults, who often experience medical complications due to memory loss, physical disability, and multiple chronic conditions. Written by experts in geriatric medicine, each of these chapters start with the most up-to-date clinical geriatric research and provide specific examples or case studies on how to use this information to address the clinical needs of older adult patients. In addition, there is a set of concise "take-home points" for each chapter that are easy to commit to memory and implement in clinical care of aging patients. As the only book to focus on current trends in geriatric research and evidence-based eldercare practice, Clinical Trends in Geriatric Medicine is of great value to internists, family practitioners, geriatricians, nurses, and physician assistants who care for older adults.

Biological rhythms time the ebb and flow of virtually every physiological process, and their mutual coordination guarantees the integrity of the organism over space and time. Aging leads to the disintegration of this coordination, as well as to changes in the amplitude and/or frequency of the underlying rhythms. The results of this are accelerated loss of health during aging, and in experimental model systems curtailed lifespan occurs. This book will examine the machinery that constitutes circadian systems and how they impact physiologic processes. It will also discuss how disturbances of circadian rhythms can lead to complex diseases associated with aging. Much of this treatment will focus on metabolism and genome stability. Importantly, the chapters in this book will encompass work in several different models, in addition to human. The book will conclude with a discussion of modeling approaches to biologic cycles and chronotherapy, for future research and translation.

Medical practitioners receive little, if any, formal training in the prevention, assessment and management of pressure ulcers and other chronic wounds. Pressure Ulcers in the Aging Population: A Guide for Clinicians is a resource primarily aimed at physicians interested in the fundamentals of wound care. This book is written for geriatricians, internists, general practitioners, residents and fellows who treat older patients and unlike other texts on the market addresses the specific issues of wound prevention and managment in older individuals. Pressure Ulcers in the Aging Population: A Guide for Clinicians emphasizes prevention, proper documentation and the team care process which are often overlooked in standard texts. Chapters are written by experts in their fields and include such evolving topics as deep tissue injury and the newer support surface technologies.

This book provides the first comprehensive overview of a new scientific discipline termed Geroscience. Geroscience examines the molecular and cellular mechanisms that might explain why aging is the main risk factor for most chronic diseases affecting the elderly population. Over the past few decades, researchers have made impressive progress in understanding the genetics, biology and physiology of aging. This book presents vital research that can help readers to better understand how aging is a critical malleable risk factor in most chronic diseases, which, in turn, could lead to interventions that can help increase a healthy lifespan, or 'healthspan.' The book begins with an analysis of the Geroscience hypothesis, as well as the epidemiological underpinnings that define aging as a candidate main risk factor for most chronic diseases. Next, each chapter focuses on one particular disease, or group of diseases, with an emphasis on how basic molecular and cellular biology might explain why aging is a major risk factor for it. Coverage in the book includes: cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementias, stroke, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes asthma, emphysema, kidney disease, vision impairment, and AIDS/HIV. It finishes with a chapter on pain in the elderly and an overview of future steps needed to bring the newly acquired knowledge into the clinic and the public at large.

The incidence of skin cancer has risen rapidly in recent decades, and patients often present initially to practitioners in many different specialties. Because skin cancer can vary in clinical appearance, even dermatologists may experience difficulty in reaching a clinical diagnosis. For primary care physicians and physician extenders (physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners), who have had very little or no formal training in dermatology, the task can be still more daunting. In this atlas, the authors set out to provide a practical resource that will help improve the 'visual vocabulary' of physicians and physician extenders, helping them identify lesions that should be biopsied. Hundreds of high-quality color images are included to assist the reader in the task of recognition and identification. All of the common cutaneous malignancies are illustrated, with a number of examples of each entity and of common mimickers. In addition, biopsy techniques and treatment options are presented in step-by step detail with the use of high resolution clinical images, and potential complications of treatment are discussed. This atlas is ideal for all providers who wish to sharpen their clinical acumen and gain confidence in identifying skin cancers.

"The book will be valuable for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers and lecturers involved in the field of dementia care and the health-care sciences. Furthermore, it provides a useful resource for clinicians who wish to explore their understanding of 'personhood', person-centred care and the nature of Kitwood's critical appraisal of how 'care' should be constructed and delivered." Ageing and Society"Baldwin and Capstick have produced an honest appraisal that is undeniably a reader and critical commentary, and have not shirked from any responsibilities. ... This paperback would serve two distinct strands of readership equally well - those coming afresh to dementia care, or practitioners steeped in the concepts, who are looking to reanalyse and consider future developments. As such, it is difficult to underestimate its value." Nursing in Practice How does Kitwood's work contribute to our understanding of 'the dementing process' and the essentials of quality care?How was Kitwood's thinking about dementia influenced by the wider context of his work in theology, psychology and biochemistry?What is the relevance today of key themes and issues in Kitwood's work? Tom Kitwood was one of the most influential writers on dementia of the last 20 years. Key concepts and approaches from his work on person-centred care and well-being in dementia have gained international recognition and shaped much current thinking about practice development. The complexities of Kitwood's work and the development of his thinking over time have, however, received less attention. This Reader brings together twenty original publications by Kitwood which span the entire period of his writing on dementia, and the different audiences for whom he wrote.Almost ten years after Kitwood's death, it is now timely to review his contribution to the field of dementia studies in the light of more recent developments and from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective. The introduction to this Reader summarises and problematises some of the key characteristics of Kitwood's writing. Each of the four themed sections begins with a commentary offering a balanced consideration of the strengths of Kitwood's work, but also of its limitations and oversights. The Reader also includes a biography and annotated bibliography.Tom Kitwood on Dementia: A Reader and Critical Commentary is key reading for students of social work or mental health nursing, with an interest in dementia care. Professionals working with people with dementia will also find it invaluable.Additional Contributors: Habib Chaudhury, Deborah O'Connor, Alison Phinney, Barbara Purves, Ruth Bartlett.