Publisher's Synopsis
The biggest change in Aged Care in years by challenging ageism, negative attitudes to the elderly and providing holistic comprehensive medical care. You will be shocked and surprised by what you read in this book!
"YOUR ELDERLY PARENTS FAILING HEALTH. IS IT AGEING OR A TREATABLE CONDITION? By Dr Peter Lipski. Geriatrician.
Many people experience the frustration of watching their elderly relatives' health decline every day only to be told that it's just "old age" that causes dizziness, falls, confusion, malnutrition, and breathlessness and more. Frustrated families hear time again ""what do you expect- he is 89 years old you know!" Too many older people end up in the overcrowded public hospital emergency department when this could be prevented by better medical care.
How often do we see our elderly relatives or friends physically declining, slowing up, taking too many pills and struggling at home alone?
This is one of the most important and influential medical books of our time! So relevant for everyone, written in simple powerful language and answers the most common questions everyone asks about older peoples' health, says Dr Lipski.
Experienced Geriatrician Dr Peter Lipski in his latest book dispels the huge myths and negative stereotypes about getting older and shows that getting old doesn't need to mean declining health. Dr Lipski explains how even the most frail elderly can have dramatic improvements in their general health from comprehensive care, accurate diagnoses, attention to detail, getting the simple things right, and treating reversible factors.
Dr Lipski explains that it is never too late to treat an older patient! The greatest risk to the health of the elderly is ignorance, blaming "old age" for everything and presenting late to the doctor. Many older people are denied proper medical care because their symptoms are commonly blamed inappropriately on "old age" rather than treatable medical conditions. Older patients can have spectacular improvements in their symptoms and condition with simple better medical treatment. Dr Lipski describes common challenges in the health of the elderly including-
- Malnutrition and starvation of the elderly
- Adverse drug reactions -the commonest cause for preventable hospital emergency department presentations
- Over treatment of diabetic frail elderly
- Incorrect measurement of Blood Pressure by Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals
- Impaired older drivers and the burden of drivers with dementia
- Failure of Single Organ Medicine to deal with the frail elderly effectively
- Blaming serious treatable medical conditions on "old age"
- How to prevent falls in the elderly.
- Warning signs of acute confusion and why it is so commonly missed and not treated.
Dr Lipski explains the warning signs of common Geriatric Syndromes that most families and carers of the elderly have to deal with and when to get help.
Dr Lipski believes that this book will affect everyone on the planet, as we all have either an elderly Mother or Father, Brother or Sister, Uncle or Aunt or other elderly relative or friend or neighbour. There is one thing for sure, we are all getting older and living longer! At some stage in life we will all become "old"! If we have the right attitude to older age and the right medical care, then older people can have better quality of life.
