Description
The spectrum of disease starts to change and
disability rises after the age of 60 years. In old age
the combination of multiple chronic pathology
makes predicting the course of illness difficult.
There are different patterns of disease presentation
with somewhat altered responses to treatment.
Elderly patients require comprehensive
multidisciplinary assessment and access to
rehabilitation services to help restore them to their
maximum ability. As there has been a marked
increase in the elderly population, elderly patients
now constitute the bulk of workload in most
specialities. This article is not intended to give a
comprehensive description of all aspects of geriatric
medicine but to raise awareness of commonly
encountered clinical problems in old age.
