Aging In Good Health

According to a 1990 report issued by the Census Bureau, 31 million people in the United States are over the age of sixty-five. Inevitably the overall welfare of this population will gradually become vulnerable to a variety of disabilities that may require exhaustive and expensive diagnostic or therapeutic attention.Aging in Good Health is the result of important forums devoted to the complex state of geriatric health care and education, sponsored by the National Academies of Practice, an organization of distinguished practitioners devoted to optimum patient care through interdisciplinary communication. Drs. Lieberman and Collen, esteemed professionals in social work and internal medicine respectively, offer a unique opportunity to share in their experiences, and those of fellow experts from the nine health professions (dentistry, medicine, nursing, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, psychology, social work, veterinary medicine), with the challenging physiological, psychological, ethical, social, and financial situations facing the elderly and their families.Emphasizing improvement in the overall attention given to the relationship between wellness and the aging process, the contributors present crucial insights on a plethora of concerns, in particular: the myriad foot and ambulatory ailments diminishing independent mobility; the "aging eye" and its optical, physiological, and pathological changes in visual function; the dangerous effects of chemical dependency on prescribed medications; the devastating problem of dementia and its related neurological disorders; the frequent bouts of depression, loneliness, and other forms of emotional distress; and the significantly therapeutic benefits of relating to animals or the environment.In addition, there is vital information on how to take specific precautions against the onset of certain general afflictions, along with important details for locating appropriate medical or social work services when a sudden or severe deterioration in health manifests itself.Aging in Good Health is an invaluable, provocative guidebook for the lay reader, as well as for gerontologists, social workers, neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, the medical and dental communities, and public health personnel.