Preventive Care for Elderly People

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.