Geriatrics: dealing better with our ageing population
Dr Wrishi Raphael
These days people in western economies can expect to live longer than ever before. Once you make it to 65, the data suggest that you can live another 19.2 years, on average. For many, then, senior living includes carefully managing chronic conditions to stay healthy. One needs to be physically active and eat a healthy diet and also make healthy lifestyle choices, like quitting smoking and losing weight, to avoid senior health risks.
The world is ageing rapidly. According to UNFPA and WHO people aged 60 and older make up over 11 per cent of the global population, and by 2050, that number will rise to about 22 per cent. Emergency situations are increasing worldwide and older people remain one of the most seriously affected groups. Yet, the needs and contributions of older people are generally overlooked by humanitarian organizations in terms of policy and practice.
There are specific health and social factors that can, separately or in combination, affect older persons and impact on them during an emergency situation. These include:
physical heath
oral health and dentition
mental health
functional status and
disability
lifestyle habits
nutrition
family and social relations
economic situation, and
gender considerations.
Awareness of the needs and contributions of older persons
Consideration of these issues can help ensure that older people at risk can be identified before, during and following an emergency situation. For example, impairments that in normal circumstances do not interfere with daily functioning, can quickly become handicaps that overwhelm the persons capacity to cope in an emergency situation. An older person with arthritic knees, diminished vision and poor hearing can rapidly become incapable of getting food or receiving messages to flee from danger.
Older people are not simply a vulnerable population group. Rather, they are, in general, very resilient and their knowledge of their community, experience with past emergencies as well as positions of respect within families and communities makes them valuable resources that should be drawn upon.
Awareness of the needs and contributions of older persons among those developing policies and guidelines and providing care can contribute to more effective interventions, including equitable access to essential health and social services to older people during all phases of an emergency.
Ageing is a triumph of development: People are living longer because of better nutrition, sanitation, health care, education and economic well-being. Although an ageing world poses social and economic challenges, the right set of policies can equip individuals, families and societies to address these challenges and to reap its benefits.
Delirium, dementia and depression are the greatest challenges in geriatric age group. Although these disease processes are progressive and debilitating, it is important for all doctors to be able to identify presenting complains quickly and effectively in an effort to intervene promptly.
sDP- Systolic Blood Pressure
dBP- Diastolic Blood Pressure
HR- Heart Rate
CO- Cardiac Output
CAD- Coronary Artery Disease
MI- Myocardial Infarction
CHF- Congestive Heart Failure
COPD- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
NE- Nor Epinephrine
UTI Urinary Tract Infection
PTH- Parathyroid Hormone
BPH Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
NICE Guidelines The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a series of guidelines to consolidate standards of patient care which can be easily found at their website for better reference.
The writer can be reached at
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