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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care field is the fastest growing industry in the United States today. The demand for qualified workers in physical therapy (PT) is expected to continue to grow at a "much greater than average" rate through at least 2016. Within the field of physical therapy, there are many... more »
Social workers are in the business of helping people live their lives more effectively. They offer a wide variety of resources to the communities they serve, including help with relationships, family problems and functioning effectively in social environments. Geriatric social work is specifically geared toward senior citizen (people... more »
Signs and symptoms of alcoholism in the elderly can sometimes be missed. Elderly people who are alcoholics are more prone to falls, and liver disease. The incidence is higher among elderly men, and 3-9 percent of people over age 65 have more than two drinks daily.
There are signs and symptoms to look for that can lead to detection of... more »
Caring for elderly or sick loved ones can be emotionally, physically and financially difficult. This is especially true in the case of Alzheimer's disease.
Caregivers often find themselves overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for a patient with Alzheimer's disease, especially when it's a loved one.
Learning coping... more »
A Podiatrist is a foot specialist, also known as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or DPM. This type of doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating foot disorders. Podiatrists first receive an undergraduate degree, and then attend four years at one of eight Podiatric medical schools in the United States. These Podiatry schools... more »
Highly effective in treating mobility impairments, physical therapy aims at relieving certain conditions and preventing the chances of a... more »
Physical therapists must complete a rigorous education plan, participate in a residency program and become licensed before they are able to... more »
For a young person planning a career, developing a physical therapy practice is a daunting challenge requiring years of education, training and... more »
Physical therapists provide rehabilitation services to patients who have limitations resulting from illness, injury or developmental disabilities.... more »
A skilled nursing facility or nursing home offers help for those who require 24-hour skilled nursing attention. Facilities require registered... more »
Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health care of the elderly. It aims to promote health and to prevent and treat diseases and disabilities in older adults.
Geriatrics was separated from internal medicine as a distinct entity in the same way that pediatrics is separated from adult internal medicine and neonatology is separated from pediatrics.
There is no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician. Rather, this is determined by a profile of the typical problems that geriatrics focuses on.
The term geriatrics differs from gerontology which is the study of the aging process itself. The term comes from the Greek geron meaning "old man" and iatros meaning "healer". However "Geriatrics" is considered by some as "Medical Gerontology".
Scope
Differences between adult and geriatric medicine
Geriatrics differs from adult medicine in many respects. The body of an elderly person is substantially different physiologically from that of an adult. Old age is the period of manifestation of decline of the various organ systems in the body. This varies according to various reserves in the organs, as smokers, for example, consume their respiratory system reserve early and rapidly.
Many people cannot differentiate between Disease and Aging effects, e.g. renal impairment may be a part of aging but renal failure is not. Also urinary incontinence is not part of normal aging, but it is a disease that may occur at any age and is frequently treatable. Geriatricians aim to treat the disease and to decrease the effects of aging on the body. Years of training and experience, above and beyond basic medical training, go into recognizing the difference between what is normal aging and what is in fact pathological.
The decline in physiological reserve in organs makes the elderly develop diseases (such as dehydration from a mild gastroenteritis) and be liable to complications from mild problems. Fever in el read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geriatrics
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