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Chapter 15 - Wellness in Older Individuals

from Part III - Special Populations and Special Topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2020

By
Allison M. Mays ,
Elizabeth Whiteman  and
Sonja Rosen
Edited by
Waguih William IsHak
Waguih William IsHak
Affiliation:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
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Summary

Given the increase in life expectancy and increased number of older people, larger numbers of older people will develop more comorbidities and functional impairments. Wellness in older individuals includes the continuum of primary and secondary prevention toward healthy aging, to both help prevent and screen for these comorbidities and functional impairments. This chapter reviews primary and secondary prevention, with a focus on healthcare maintenance, social isolation, physical activity in older adults, and nutrition. The first section reviews United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and American Cancer Society (ACS) recommendations for immunizations and appropriate screening tools for age, as well as comprehensive geriatric assessment. Regarding physical activity in older adults, there is an extensive review of evidence-based recommendations for patients, including guidelines and tools providers may use. The international epidemic of social isolation is reviewed, along with the importance of screening for it and its associated morbidity and mortality. Finally, screening, risk factors, and interventions for nutritional problems in older persons are reviewed.

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Chapter
Information
The Handbook of Wellness Medicine , pp. 188 - 198
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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