50. Health of the elderly; health services for the elderly

Health and health services for the elderly

• Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health,participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.
• Elderly are a specific group of patients that need specific health care service.
• by the end of 20th century non-communicable diseases and chronic conditions afflict mostly the elderly population.
• most adults have a range of health problems,some active,some inactive-in old age it is more likely that such problems will be active.
• physiological functional reserve capacity(muscle strenght, fitness etc.)declines with increasing age.
• multiple pathology is a rule rather than an exception.
• in developed countries the number of elderly is increased due to population aging (lower fertility rates,urbanization,family structure,lifestyle improvement, better nutrition, medicine etc.)
• elderly are active part of society with social/economic contibution
• important to give them a specific health care system
• the most common diseases are unrecognized dieseases (failure to report symptoms etc.)
• higher than age of 65, reisk of dementia and other degenarative diseases becomes higher.
• unfortunately,financial costs can be catastrophic for families
• Social service systems has grown significantly in the past few years(provided by hospitals,hospices)
• LPC(long-term social care service) is provided of a period of more than 3 months
• LPC are categorized as 1.formal(help provided to persons with one or more disability by organizations,individuals,representing organizations or by other persons,excluding friends or neighbours)2.informal(help provided to persons with one or more disabilities by family, friends or neighbours)3.institional and 4.non-institutional.
• there has been growth in community a and home-based social care services(supported by state)