Managing older people in primary care

Older people have complex and unique primary care needs. The frequent occurrence of co-morbidities, polypharmacy, psychological, social and functional impairments can impact on the way problems present making the diagnosis and treatment more challenging for the primary care physician. The provision of healthcare is becoming more community-based and national service frameworks have highlighted the special healthcare needs of older people. This means that treating older patients will become an even larger proportion of the daily work of the general practitioner. Packed full of practical and down to earth advice for clinicians specialising in the care of older people, this book examines real problems that present on a day-to-day basis in the primary care environment. It provides GPs with specific advice and guidance to help them in the management of the often complex conditions that present in older people. Written by practising clinicians who are experts in the field, this book covers a diverse range of subjects from stroke medicine to incontinence to the role that the voluntary sector plays in the care of older people. It includes clinical case scenarios throughout and colour photographs in chapters on areas such as ophthalmology and dermatology enable readers to effortlessly understand the points being made. Easy to read and with most chapters co-authored by a specialist and a general practitioner, this book provides GPs, community and practice nurses, and those specialising in the care of older patients with an indispensable resource they can use to find practical advice from specialists in the field, including tips on differential diagnosis and summaries of the existing evidence-base and guidelines on treatment.