Geriatric Practice A Competency Based Approach to Caring for Older Adults

This book serves as a comprehensive reference for the basic principles of caring for older adults, directly corresponding to the key competencies for medical student and residents. These competencies are covered in 10 sections, each with chapters that target the skills and knowledge necessary for achieving competency. Each of the 45 chapters follow a consistent format for ease of use, beginning with an introduction to the associated competency and concluding with the most salient points for mastery. Chapters also includes brief cases to provide context to the clinical reasoning behind the competency, strengthening the core understanding necessary to physicians of the future.

Written by expert educators and clinicians in geriatric medicine, Geriatric Practice is key resource for students in geriatric medicine, family and internal medicine, specialties, hospice and nursing home training, and all clinicians studying to work with aging patients.

History and Trends.- Identifying the Unique Needs of the Aging Population.- Education of Current and Future Providers.- Physiology of Aging.- Normal vs. Abnormal Physical Exam.- Testing in the Elderly.- Differential Diagnoses in the Setting of Advanced Age and Multiple Conditions.- Common Acute Illness.- Patient-Centered Care for Persons with Multiple Conditions.- Geriatric Pre-Operative Evaluation of the Older Adult.- Common Chronic Conditions.- Geriatric Considerations in Common Surgical Conditions.- Prescription Selection and Dosing.- High-Risk Prescriptions for Aging Patients.- Dietary Botanicals and Supplements.- Understanding the Medication List and Addressing Polypharmacy in Older Adults.- Depression in Older Adults: Principles of Diagnosis and Management.- Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms in Dementia (BPSD).- Diagnosis and Management of Delirium.- Assessment of Memory and Function.- Non-pharmacologic Management of BPSD: Agitation and Behavioral Problems in Dementia.- Assessment of Capability and Capacit.- Developing a Management Plan Safety and Risk Assessment.- Falls Screening, Differential Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment.- Driving.- Individualized Decision-Making for Preventive Medicine in Older Adults.- Advance Care Planning for Older Adults.- Patient Preference, Prognosis, and Decision-Making in Screening and Treatment.- Sites of Care for the Older Adult – Hospice, Clinic and Home-based Care.- Acute Care in the Home Setting: Hospital at Home.- Hazards of Hospitalization.- Prevention of the Hazards of Hospitalization.- Managing Medications and Addressing Polypharmacy.- Foley Catheter Use and Management of Urinary Symptoms.- High-Risk Pressure Ulcers.- Discharge Planning.- Interprofessional Care: Why Teamwork Matters.- Chronic Care Management.- Registries/Data in Population Health Management.- Management of Pain Symptoms.- Non-Pain Symptoms.- Psychosocial, Social, and Spiritual Needs of Geriatric Patients.- Introduction to Palliative Care.