International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) is pleased to present its recommendations for the core curriculum of geriatric medicine for undergraduate students. These recommendations were drawn from suggestions received from all over the world, and were discussed in one of the oldest universities of the world, the University of Salamanca, in Spain. They reflect issues that any practitioner should have in mind when treating an elderly patient.
A document by World Health Organization and International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG)
Geriatric Medicine: basic contents for Undergraduate Medical Teaching
Throughout the 21st century health professionals will increasingly be required to be familiar with old age care whatever the specialty they choose
1. Understand the biology of ageing and its relationship to the clinical manifestations of diseases in older individuals. Older patients manifest signs and symptoms of disease because they are sick, not because they are old.
2. Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of physiology of ageing to understand concepts such as frailty and loss of functional capacity.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the demography of ageing.
4. Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of pharmacology in order to understand basic principles of prescribing for older people, with special attention to adverse effects and iatrogenic disease. This includes not only knowing what to prescribe but also when drugs should be withdrawn, and the risks of polypharmacy.
5. Recognize the role of psychosocial risk factors, such as living alone, economic hardship and lack of social support, in the causation and experience of disease.
6. Recognize the importance of providing support to family caregivers who, themselves, may be old and in poor health.
7. Recognize prevention and rehabilitation as the main goals of Geriatric Medicine.
8. Understand that the optimisation of health in frail older people or those with disabilities requires multi-dimensional evaluation and multidisciplinary approaches for the attainment of better outcomes.
9. Consider a problem-oriented approach as the most appropriate in the care of older people.
10. Embrace a holistic perspective, understanding that older persons have a rich history behind them and embrace life-course events as the root of many of their current ill-health conditions.
11. Understand that a life course perspective also implies that today's children and younger adults are tomorrow's older people and that their health in older age depends on how they live.
12. Be familiar with the management of the great geriatric syndromes - such as falls, incontinence and cognitive impairment - as well as with conditions highly prevalent such as depression and the subtle presentation of disease in old patients.
13. Demonstrate positive attitudes to ageing, speaking out against negative stereotypes.
14. Recognize the distinct aspects of abuse against older person.
15. Recognize ethical issues including end of life care.
Source: http://www.iagg.com.br/webforms/iaggNewsDetalhes.aspx?codNoticia=29
Silver Inning Foundation recommends this to Indian Government,all State Government and Indian Medical Association.
Hope some one will take a note of above and take appropriate action and have Geriatric Medicine in our Medical studies.
Lets get ready to take care of our fast growing Elderly population.
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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