Care of the Elderly Patient
Melissa Stiles and Kathleen Walsh
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Chapter contents | |||
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Geriatric Assessment |
33 |
Assessment |
41 |
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Medical Assessment |
34 |
Management |
41 |
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Functional Assessment |
35 |
Reporting Requirement |
42 |
|
Psychological Assessment |
35 |
Pressure Ulcers |
42 |
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Social Assessment |
35 |
Classification |
42 |
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Summary |
36 |
Risk Factors |
42 |
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Falls |
36 |
Management |
43 |
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Epidemiology |
36 |
Rational Drug Prescribing for Elderly Patients |
45 |
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Risk Factors |
38 |
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics |
45 |
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Screening |
38 |
Common Prescribing Issues |
46 |
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Falls Assessment |
38 |
Principles of Prescribing |
47 |
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Management |
39 |
47 | |
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Elder Abuse |
39 |
Age-Related Changes in Urinary System |
48 |
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Definition |
39 |
Presentation |
48 |
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Risk Factors |
39 |
Evaluation |
49 |
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Screening |
40 |
Treatment |
50 |
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Clinical Manifestations |
41 | ||
Family physicians are responsible for the care of increasing numbers of elderly patients and their unique and complex primary care needs. Older patients often have comorbidities, "polypharmacy," and psychological, social, and functional impairments. These can lead to variability in presentation of health problems and make diagnosis and treatment challenging for the family physician.
This chapter discusses common geriatric syndromes and outlines a process by which the family physician can effectively and efficiently care for the elderly patient. The main goal is to assist elderly persons to maintain function and quality of life with self-respect, preserving their lifestyle as much as possible. The chapter addresses functional assessment, falls, elder abuse, pressure ulcers, rational drug prescribing, and incontinence; geriatric conditions such as dementia, delirium, and depression are discussed in other chapters.
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