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Chapter 1 - Essential principles in the care of the elderly

from Section I - General approach to the care of the elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2016

By
William Reichel ,
Christine Arenson  and
Jan Busby-Whitehead
Edited by
Jan Busby-Whitehead ,
Christine Arenson ,
Samuel C. Durso ,
Daniel Swagerty ,
Laura Mosqueda ,
Maria Fiatarone Singh  and
William Reichel
Jan Busby-Whitehead
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina
Christine Arenson
Affiliation:
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
Samuel C. Durso
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Daniel Swagerty
Affiliation:
University of Kansas
Laura Mosqueda
Affiliation:
University of Southern California
Maria Fiatarone Singh
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
William Reichel
Affiliation:
Georgetown University, Washington DC
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Summary

The core principle that should guide any health professional caring for older adults and their families is that the "secret of caring for the patient is in caring for the patient." (Peabody). Practitioners must understand the most up-to-date biomedical and psychosocial aspects of aging, health, wellness, and disease, and strive to support the older adult to remain as active, functional, and engaged as possible. At the same time, practitioners must recognize and help patients and families understand when a palliative approach will be most effective at meeting their goals. The Choosing Wisely campaign launched the American Board of Internal Medicine provides targeted guidance to clinicians to provide care that is effective and efficient, consistent with the essential principles.
Type
Chapter
Information
Reichel's Care of the Elderly
Clinical Aspects of Aging
 , pp. 1 - 16
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2016

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