Geriatrics is the branch of medicine concerned
with the diagnoses and treatment - or sometimes
just management - of the conditions and disorders
that occur in old age.
The term geriatrics also refers to the medical care
of the elderly generally.
Compare geriatrics with the related area of gerontology
(which involves study of the changes that occur
in the mind and body during the ageing process -
and the challenges and opportunities for psychological
and spiritual growth associated with them).
More about Geriatrics:
Geriatrics is important because older adults may
react to illness and diseases differently from younger
adults. There are also some conditions that are
specifically associated with the later stages of
ageing - which will now apply to an increasing proportion
of modern Western populations in which life-expectancy
is longer than for previous generations, and continues
to increase.
For example, health concerns commonly found in found
in the frail elderly may include incontinence, frequent
falls, memory problems, and the side effects caused
by multiple medications.
