Depression is the most common mental health problem in the elderly. While the incidence in community-dwelling older adults is no higher than in the general population, the risk increases significantly with medical illness or institutionalization. Depression is probably the best researched of the psychiatric disorders in the elderly, with epidemiological evidence indicating that older adults have the highest suicide rate of any age group (one-fourth of all suicides are carried out by persons age 60 or older by taking sleeping pills suicide). (more…)

Beneficiaries of the Medicare program have three rehabilitation-related benefits established by federal statute: physical therapy rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy (speech-language pathology). All therapists, who must be graduates of accredited programs, must pass a national examination and be licensed, certified, or registered in their respective professions within the state in which the services are furnished. Medicare covers services that are necessary and likely to result in improvement in a reasonable period of time. Medicare does not currently regard prevention services provided by therapists as falling under therapy benefits and will not cover services intended to maintain a current level of function. (more…)

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The proportion of elderly at any age without any chronic conditions is small, and disease can trigger a cascade of events resulting in functional deficits and disability. An increase in the number of activities with which an elder has difficulty increases linearly with comorbidity, that is, coexistent medical conditions that further complicate not only the genesis of a functional deficit but also its treatment. For example, rehabilitation for a stroke for an individual who also has painful, degenerative changes in the foot and a low tolerance for stressful activity secondary to angina with exertion would present a particular rehabilitation challenge. Yet, this example encapsulates geriatric rehabilitation specialist’s emphasis on care and function, not cure and disease. (more…)

Aging begins before we are born, is a lifelong process and continues throughout life. Throughout the life course, differing life experiences influence our capabilities and well-being in our later years. The functional capacity of our biological systems increases during the first years of life, reaches its peak in early adult-hood and naturally declines thereafter. Throughout most countries (but not all), persons experience a long childhood and a long old age. These two lengthy developmental spans have provided great utility. Throughout history, it has enabled older persons to educate the younger and pass on values to them. (more…)

Compulsive hoarding disorder consists of three components: acquiring a large number of possessions, storing of items and not discarding unused objects, and keeping or storing them in such a way that it interferes with daily living, with possible severe neglect of living space. This behavior was first described in 1975 in a sample of 30 individuals, all of whom were elderly and demonstrated extreme neglect of their home, appearance, and health, and was termed Diogenes syndrome. (more…)

The majority associated with leading cause of deaths in America are due to medical health issues, not accidents, regardless of what your mother told you. The National Center for Health Statistics compiles the listing of killers and leading causes of death in America. A number of on the list you can not manage but others you can. There are several things that you can do to minimize getting the risk of the leading causes of death. If you eat right, exercise, don’t smoke, keep your weight under control, and manage your stress, then you are having a big change to live longer and having prolonged life than average American. (more…)

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) is the core daily personal care activities that are necessary in order for people to be able to live independently. Loss of mental functioning is measured by other standardized tests and referred to as cognitive impairment. Activities of Daily Livings are particularly important because along with cognitive impairment, and in some cases “medical necessity,” they are the mechanism used by the insurance industry to determine qualification for long-term care benefits and may also be used to determine qualification for admission to a nursing or assisted living home facility. (more…)

The overarching goal of physical therapy rehabilitation is to return the individual to as close to the premorbid level of function as possible or, alternatively, to maximize a person’s current potential for function and maintain it as long as possible. This goal is achieved by promoting changes in the individual, by altering his or her physical health elderly or social environments, or by implementing a combination of both strategies. (more…)

Altered cellular metabolism and intracellular and intercellular signaling with advancing age result in widespread changes in endocrine function. Several mechanisms interact in most systems to bring about the observed changes. Aging is associated with anatomic changes of the endocrine glands. In addition, with age, changes in hormone secretion occur, including alterations in circadian or seasonal biorhythms, changes in pulsatile frequency or amplitude of hormone secretion, as well as absolute changes in mean serum hormonal levels. (more…)

As people growing older or become elderly, several health risks and health complications and problem may happened because the natural degeneration of human systems and organ. When you are growing older and become member of elderly population, some complications associated with general body aches and pains may occur. (more…)