Preventive Health Care For The Elderly

Download or read book Preventive Care for Elderly People written by David C. Kennie and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1993-10-28 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the concepts of preventive care and health promotion specifically in the context of the elderly. It adopts a broad concept of health and defines a number of goals around this theme. Thereafter it provides a succinct, up-to-the-minute critique of the worth, risks and costs of preventive care and health promotional strategies for older people. A broad range of such strategies are considered including cancer prevention, the prevention of non-cancer health problems and strategies aimed at enhancing functional status and strengthening the social support network. Principles for tailoring these strategies to the varied needs and wishes of elderly people are outlined. Likewise, practical measures are discussed for integrating these preventive strategies into the existing health care system. In particular, the role of screening, case-finding and targeting strategies in primary care are reviewed in detail. The book concludes with a wider look at the cost implications of preventive care for the purchasers of health and health care services.